Polk County Democratic Women made it easy to help Polk County’s teachers this year.

On a recent Saturday morning, the group held one of their big country breakfasts and donated all the proceeds (every cent, not just profits) to Polk County’s teachers for badly needed classroom supplies.

According to Aaron Greene, curriculum director for Polk County Schools, the North Carolina state legislature in Raleigh cut the budget for instructional supplies by 51 percent in this last legislative session.

Teachers have always chipped in their own money to supplement classroom supplies, but the legislature’s cuts this year meant that they’d need to donate even more of their own dollars to give students the classroom experiences that are so crucial to their education. Teachers may still need to chip in, even though this year’s legislative cuts have dropped North Carolina teachers’ pay to 49th in the country.

Polk County Democrats’ Women’s and Men’s Clubs came to the rescue, along with the many other generous citizens who donated to the cause. The women’s club raised $1,500 with their breakfast. And the men’s club added $250 from their fundraising efforts, making a total of $1,750.