Summer Street Students 'Playing It Forward' For Needy Kids

As they get ready for next week's moving on ceremony, the fourth graders of the Summer Street School Class of 2012 are doing a service project to collect sporting goods for needy children in the U.S. and overseas.

On Friday, David Cohen, the founder of Playing It Forward, was at the school to talk to the students about his work and what led him to start the nonprofit. Cohen also happens to be married to Lynnfield native Lauren (Ellerin) Cohen, who herself once graduated from Summer Street School. Lauren is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Philip Ellerin, also of Lynnfield.

Cohen, a Framingham resident, is a former college athlete who founded Playing It Forward in 2009. The group collects used sporting equipment, such as soccer and basketballs, softball equipment, baseball gloves, cleats, jump ropes and more - and has so far sent supplies to some 25,000 needy children in nine states and 20 countries, from Aruba to Nigeria.

For community members who would like to donate some used sporting goods, there is a drop-off box in the lobby of the school that will be there until this Friday, June 8. For more information, email Jill Stelman or Julie Mallett of the school's Moving On Committee.