MARYVILLE, Tenn. — New technology for a Blount County elementary school is on the way. Donations have poured into the Lanier Technology Fund for months and the grassroots fundraiser met its goal of $75,000 this week.
A total of $75,672 has been raised through donations from people who attended the school and who live in the rural part of Maryville near where the school is located.
"We are now able to put new electronics in every student's classroom in our small, rural school," fundraising organizer Jasmine Satterfield said.
Lanier alumni spent months raising money for the school. In March the group hosted the Lanier Music Fest, featuring several music artists who'd gone to the school as children.
Robin Bailey, known professionally as Robinella, played the show.
"I am proud of where I'm from, and there's a lot of productive, capable, good people that live and have sprung out the Lanier community," Bailey said. "And my sister teaches at an afterschool program there. Here, being tied to Lanier is of course a major, major reason that I would do the show, but I would do it otherwise as well."
Music acts with Lanier roots, including Dixie Highway, Johno Clayton and the Young Fables, played at the event.
Blount County schools also sent WBIR a statement about the festival below:
"It is exciting to see talented Lanier alumni give back to our great community. By supporting the Lanier community, these artists are showing how to continue to make Blount County strong through serving others. Blount County Schools is committed to graduating students equipped to achieve excellence."