Easing the back-to-school burden

ROSENDALE, Wis. — With the start of a new school year comes a long list of supplies to purchase. For some families, the expense can be overwhelming.

This year, Pipping Concrete Inc. of Rosendale lifted this burden from the community by donating all the school supplies needed for every 4K through fifth-grade student in the Rosendale-Brandon school district. The act of generosity impacted about 300 students.

“We donated basically everything that would be on a kid’s school supply list, down to snacks, tissue paper and sanitizing wipes,” said Jake Theyerl, general manager at Pipping Concrete. “Just as we partner with farmers to support the future of agriculture, we wanted to support the future of our local community, and the response was incredible.”

Laconia Elementary in Rosendale was the recipient of notebooks, folders, crayons, pencils, glue sticks and more, customized for each grade level. When students arrived in their classrooms Sept. 2 for the first day of school, all the supplies they needed were individually labeled with each child’s name and waiting for their use.

Dairy farmers Kyle and Mariah Zimdars were grateful for the donation that directly impacted their third-grade son, Lane, and their first-grade daughter, Maureen.

“The only thing we had to buy for each of them was a backpack and gym shoes,” Mariah said.

The Zimdars, who milk 250 cows near Ripon, said they were shocked and ecstatic when they found out school supplies were being purchased for the children in their school district.

“I personally double-checked with other parents to make sure I was seeing things correctly,” Mariah said. “It saved us a few days of shopping and organizing. Instead, we were able to focus on spending time with the kids and doing things together this summer without worrying about back-to-school shopping. It was nice.”

Kyle agreed.

“It was a big benefit to our family, and I think it was a benefit for everybody in the district,” he said.

The donation benefitted other dairy farm families whose kids are also a part of this rural school district, Mariah said.

Established in 1985, Pipping Concrete is an agricultural concrete company specializing in building tanks, bunkers and digesters for the dairy industry and farms nationwide.

“Almost everything we do is for American dairy,” Theyerl said. “It’s because of the community that we’re successful. Their support keeps us going. We’re proud to be part of the local community, and I think it’s important to support each other.”

Their contribution saved time and money for hundreds of families.

“Depending on if you watch the sales or not, it probably costs a couple of hundred dollars for each kid,” Mariah said. “You have to buy notebooks, folders, pencil cases, pencils, glue sticks, certain types of markers, etc., and it all adds up. I told my kids they’re going to make thank you notes.”

Pipping Concrete contacted the school about the idea back in March.

“We told them to put together whatever they need,” Theyerl said. “They made lists and ordered the supplies, and we reimbursed them. It worked out really well.”

The supplies were delivered to the school at the end of August. Staff from Pipping Concrete also donated their time to help sort supplies for each classroom.

As the father of three, Theyerl said he understands the monetary investment and time commitment parents have to make when buying school supplies each year.

“It’s easy to go out and spend $100 or more per student trying to get your school supplies,” he said. “And you never can get it all in one trip; there’s always stuff you can’t find.”

Pipping Concrete has been receiving handwritten thank you notes from grateful families.

“People have approached the owner and CEO, Dennis Pipping, out in the community and acknowledged the donation,” Theyerl said. “Dawn Balsitis, the school secretary, heard a lot of ‘Thank yous’ from parents as well. Dawn put a lot of time into this. She compiled the lists and did all the ordering and sorted boxes with us.”

Theyerl said a donation of this magnitude is a first for their company.

“Whether it’s strengthening dairy farms or helping local kids start the school year off strong, it all comes back to supporting the families who make this community thrive,” he said. “Dennis thought it would be a great opportunity to take some burden off families, and we’re hoping this can be something we do every year.”