Weddington High senior sets goal to collect 100,000 notebooks for underserved students
Last year when Weddington High student Jack Werdann and his family decided to raise funds to purchase 45,000 notebooks to help underserved children, he never imaged that this year he’d be working on collecting 100,000 notebooks to be distributed nationwide.
In August 2020, Jack and his family came up with the idea for a notebooks for kids initiative, which went on to successfully raise funds for 45,000 notebooks for the Kids In Need Foundation.
They bought a majority of the notebooks from Lidl, and the retailer took notice. Lidl reached out to Jack this summer and asked if he planned to continue the initiative this year because they were interested in helping him double last year’s notebook donations to 100,000. Jack jumped at the opportunity to partner with the retailer to help more students.
The campaign began Sept. 1 and each time a Lidl customer in any one of nine selected Charlotte area stores checks out, they have the opportunity to donate a bundle of five notebooks for $2.50 and Lidl in return is matching all bundle donations.
Jack believes the goal of 100,000 notebooks is in reach and will be met soon. “I just think it’s fantastic that we were able to get the community involved, it really shows that even though the pandemic pushed everybody apart you can still come together to help those in need,” said Jack.
Now in his senior year with a 4.5 GPA, Jack is on the varsity basketball team, a member of the Spanish National Honor Society, the Spanish Club, and last year with a friend he started a community involvement club.
20,000 of the donated notebooks will stay in the Charlotte area, including being dispersed to UCPS students by Classroom Central. The Kids In Need Foundation will distribute the remaining 80,000 notebooks across the nation to underserved student populations.
“It just goes to show that students like Jack who take initiative like this have a big heart, they see a need in the community and take the steps and time to give back to our community and the broader community as a whole. It’s something we need a lot of right now,” said Dr. Jeff Kraftson, Weddington High principal.
Nine Charlotte area Lidl stores are participating in this initiative including:
- Lidl Gastonia - 951 E. Hudson Blvd., Gastonia, N.C, 28054
- Lidl Indian Trail - 14600 East Independence Blvd., Indian Trail, N.C., 28079
- Lidl Concord - 8930 Christenbury Pky., Concord, N.C., 28027
- Lidl Charlotte, Monroe Rd. - 9318 Monroe Rd., Charlotte, N.C., 28270
- Lidl Matthews - 4520 Margaret Wallace Rd, Matthews, N.C., 28105
- Lidl Steele Creek - 11225 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, N.C., 28273
- Lidl University - 615 W. Mallard Creek Church Rd., Charlotte, N.C., 28262
- Lidl Indian Land - 9990 Charlotte Hwy., Indian Land, S.C., 29707
- Lidl Rock Hill - 1260 Herrons Ferry Rd., Rock Hill, S.C., 29730