So many cool things go on in Memphis people don’t know about. Unsung heroes. People doing things for other people without lots of fanfare.
I didn’t know about the “Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive” until an old friend Ward Walthal invited me to a reception for those who participated in the drive for W. H. Brewster Elementary School. It was held October 13th at Marx-Bensdorf Realtors, where Walthal is an affiliate broker.
It was a “celebration of us having our biggest year with the uniform drive,” says Melody Bourell, also an affiliate broker at Marx-Bensdorf. They raised $20,419, which provided 876 uniforms for Brewster students. They usually raise $15,000 or $16,000, but “over $20,000 was a big deal,” Bourell says.
It was a great reception. Some of Memphis’s top bartenders were on hand. Leah Donahue (no relation but a longtime friend) did the amazing food.
The Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive is Bourell’s baby, so I called her to get its history.
It began with “a simple conversation between me and another realtor at our office, Cathleen Black,” Bourell says. “We were just having a conversation about how teachers have to bridge the gap for everything in these lower income neighborhoods. It’s sad. I said, ‘Hey. Why don’t we do something?’
“So, soon after, I got in my car and and drove to Brewster Elementary, which is located in Binghampton, and knocked on the door and said, ‘Hey. We want to help.’”
That was 12 year ago. “I told them who I was and that we would like to do something to help their school. Binghampton was and still is an up-and-coming neighborhood.”
Bourell began by raising money with Facebook posts to provide backpacks filled with school supplies for students. “That evolved into uniforms.”
Village Mart provides the uniforms. Muhamad Ibrahim, whom Bourrell describes as a “very nice and generous man,” owns Village Mart. “He cares about Memphis and always gives us something extra.”
People now donate $25 on Facebook. That pays for the shirt, pants, belt, socks, and underwear.
“The last day of the campaign I post this video. I’ll choose someone to be Elvis and Priscilla.”
A recording of Elvis’ “It’s Now Or Never” plays on the video. “This year, Jake Lawhead was Elvis and Ashley Bonds was Priscilla.”
Marx-Bensdorf president Jimmy Reed said he thought they should have a party to celebrate.
“With all the bad things that happened in the recent past, it just felt good to share some good that Memphis is doing,” Bourell says. “So, we did. And we had a party.”
And, she says, “I invited all the people that donated and got us to our over $20,000 mark.”
The party also featured the “Dream Team of Bartenders” — David Parks, Leanna Tedford, LH White, and Lindsay Roberson.
The Mighty Souls Brass Band provided the music.
Bourell, who originally was in the restaurant business, was general manager at the opening of Tsunami restaurant. “I don’t have to call a party planner or caterer. I just pick up people I know and say, ‘Hey, can you work this gig?’”
As Reed says, “You push the ‘Melody’ button and stuff starts happening.”
Reed definitely thought this was a good time to hold a celebration. “Supporting that specific, wonderful institution has been important for us for years,” he says. “And, especially, with Melody’s strong efforts behind all that. But especially now with the perceived negative environment taking place in our city, we felt it was a very timely thing to have a celebration about reaching across communities. And showing a really good strong initiative at the same time there have been some difficult things going on.
“My wife Janice and I have traveled a lot over many years and we have perspective. This is a damn good town. We’re funky and fun.”
