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Rental dealers donate 35 computers to FMS

The Missouri Rental Dealers Association (MRDA) held a formal press conference Friday, April 30, where it donated 35 new Compaq computers to Fredericktown Middle School.

Following the April 10-11 fire, which destroyed the school, the students and faculty relocated to Calvary Temple Church to finish this academic year. A more permanent location is being sought for the 2010-2011 school year.

The MRDA originally notified FMS Principal Scott Sikes it would donate 25 computers to his campus of 440 sixth, seventh and eighth graders. The association secured an additional ten computers last week, raising the the total number to 35.

“I was completely overwhelmed by this,” Sikes said. “It’s above and beyond anything I could have imagined. This is phenomenal and really blew me over the way people have stepped forward for us. These computers are really going to help us stay on track.”

The computers will first be used by the school’s teachers and then will go into a student computer lab once a permanent location is found, Sikes said.

The donation is part of MRDA’s annual “Computerz for Kidz” outreach program which the association board officially adopted last year after a similar effort in 2008 raised 28 computers that were presented to a school in St. Louis.

MRDA board member Gary Romine of Show- Me Rent-To-Own serves on the local Mineral Area College Board of Trustees with Sikes. When he learned of the disastrous fire, he was quick to present a donation proposal to MRDA.

“This was a terrible tragedy for the school and I approached Scott (Sikes) with the idea and he was thrilled,” Romine said. “This is one of those things where it really came together. We were prepared and there was an immediate need and the members really came together to jump on it.”

MRDA President John Cleek Jr. said the school’s situation presented a great opportunity to make an immediate impact on the community.

“Every association does what it can do,” Cleek said. “Whether it’s a small donation or a large one. We were happy to be able to come together as an association. When the need’s there, it’s great to be able to jump in and help.”

MRDA participating companies include:

Dan Cole – National RTO;

“Tiger” and John Cleek Jr. – Cleek’s dba Aaron’s;

Aaron’s Corporate;

Gary Romine – Show Me RTO;

Cindy Boyers – Heartland RTO;

Chuck Kuluva – Rental City;

J C Cox – Gateway RTO;

Sharon and Larry Carrico – Rent One;

Kevin Welker – MKW Investments dba Aaron’s;

Alex Davis – Davis/Morris dba  Aaron’s;

John Keller – Keller’s Rental Place/dba Aaron’s;

Scott Mitchell – All American Rentals;

Mark and Kathy Windsor – National TV Sales and Rental;

Rent-A-Center.

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