Bennion Deville Homes La Quinta office agents and staff members recently collected and donated school supplies to the 4^th grade classes at Oasis Elementary School in Thermal. Although these supplies are usually personally delivered to commemorate the students heading back to school each year, the office got creative to ensure the supplies made it into the right hands just in time for the start of the semester. The La Quinta office of Bennion Deville Homes, located at 47-350 Washington Street, has been supporting the 4^th grade classes at Oasis Elementary School in Thermal since 2007, creating a rich history with the school and surrounding community.

Members of the office typically visit their 4^th grade students 3 times throughout the school year. However, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, all schools are conducting online learning for the foreseeable future, preventing the agents from making an in-person visit to the classroom. Despite classes being held virtually, the La Quinta office wanted to continue to offer resources to the students while helping them start the school year with the tools they need to learn. Each student received a goodie bag with pens, pencils, crayons, a notebook, and other essential supplies. Roger Sullivan, Broker Associate, delivered the bags so they could be picked up along with laptops the school district is lending to the students to conduct remote learning.

“We got off to a late start because of the indecision of what was going to happen with the start of school, and regardless of timing, the students’ needs did not change and neither did our commitment to help them,” says Roger Sullivan. “We have been fortunate to be able to put together the items the kids needed to start their school year and deliver them on time. While we are happy to have once again assisted with the commencement of this new, exciting chapter for the students, there is certainly a loss felt by not being able to see their smiling faces. We hope that at some point in the near future we will be able to visit them in person, when it is safe for all of us to do so.”

Bennion Deville Homes began working with the 4^th grade students at Oasis Elementary School after learning that only one of the four classes was receiving outside support. As a result, agents and staff began visiting three 4^th grade classes and the special needs children three times a year; at the beginning of the school year, during the holidays, and at the end of the school year, with the items given to each student varying based on the season. At the end of 2019, the office started to support all of the 4^th grade classes. The bond between the students and Bennion Deville Homes representatives remains strong, with the kids referring to them as their “Fairy Godparents.”

“The La Quinta agents and staff have once again done a remarkable job of supporting the students at Oasis Elementary School,” states Bob Deville, Co-Owner of Bennion Deville Homes. “Even though classes are being held virtually, the need for these crucial resources does not change. We are very proud of the work Roger and the rest of the La Quinta agents and staff have done to make sure the students have the materials they need to start the school year strong. As a local community and business leader, it’s our job to make sure that we enrich everyone’s experience. These actions embody the spirit of that principle, and we commend everyone involved for their dedication to the cause. We wish the students a successful year ahead and look forward to continuing our relationship with the school.”