Teacher sells all to buy someone a roof
Aug. 22, 2006
By JOSEPH M. DELEON News-Post Staff
jdeleon @ fredericknewspost . com
MIDDLETOWN — Teachers will recognize the site of a week-long classroom supply garage sale by the huge paper apple pinned to a tree that shades Judy Brandenburg's home. Over the garage, an American flag waved in the wind on Monday, the first day of the sale. It was mirrored by a smaller pendant flag stuck into a nearby flower bed full of clustered red, white and violet flowers.
Ms. Brandenburg spent the past 43 years teaching, mostly second grade children in Frederick County. Now that she's retired, she wants to find a way to honor her career while benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County. All proceeds from the sale will go to the charity.
The garage is filled with decades of handmade and store-bought teaching materials. Posters and flash cards are neatly stacked in boxes, while maps hang from the walls. Charts and games line two folding tables. On the 10-by-40-foot porch in the back yard, math games and lesson plans wait for a teacher who will buy them for this year's eager children.
None of the supplies have price tags. Ms. Brandenburg is letting the buyers decide how much to donate to Habitat for Humanity.
“I just couldn't bring myself to throw it away,” she said as she bent over a large plastic bag filled with cardboard cutouts of dinosaurs. “Now, it will help other teachers, but ultimately, it will help the kids.”
Ms. Brandenburg has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity over the years and hopes to see the organization build a home in Middletown.
She guessed that she sold about onethird of her supplies Monday, earning about $500 for the organization. Ms. Brandenburg wondered aloud if she would have any left for later in the week.
David Ozag, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, said a typical home in Frederick County costs about $140,000 to build because property values are so high.
“Judy took the initiative and is selling those supplies to contribute money to Habitat,” he said. “It just brings out the best in people and shows what's really in her heart.”
Helping people has always been in her heart, and she shared memories of her time in the school system with fellow teachers.
She remembered a second grade student who left class early on the last day of school. She grew concerned when she noticed he was missing. About a half-hour later, he returned with a huge bouquet of roses he had cut from a nearby garden.
“Of course, he wasn't supposed to leave from school, but I couldn't be upset after that,” she said. “That one really brought a tear to my eye.”
Ms. Brandenburg guided each teacher through the stacks of material in her garage. While she expects to miss teaching, she said she will be sure to enjoy her time off.
“I like the beach in the fall,” she said. “After all the kids are in school, that's where I plan to be.”