Community supports Sparta Education Foundation as Dragon Boat Festival is cancelled

Sparta. There's a silver lining to the decision made by the Sparta Education Foundation to cancel its Dragon Boat Festival, originally scheduled for May 17. Many of the sponsors and teams didn’t want their deposits back, and instead asked they be used as donations. "Their selflessness displays how fortunate we are to live in such a caring town where people believe in giving back to our students," said President Donna West. "On behalf of the entire board, I’d like to thank them for their generosity during this uncertain time. We truly appreciate it and look forward to hosting the Dragon Boat Festival once again in 2021.” The foundation's partners at Dynamic Boat Racing couldn’t re-schedule this event for later in the summer or fall. Since 2006, the nonprofit foundation has funded over $1 million in grants to all five of Sparta’s public schools. Visit spartaeducationfoundation.org for more information about joining or volunteering.