A ton of school supplies was unloaded at Pike County Elementary School Wednesday compliments of Cornelius Griffin.

Griffin, a former Pike County High School and University of Alabama gridiron star, now plays with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League.

Even though he is living the dream of many little boys, Griffin has not forgotten where he came from or those who supported and encouraged him along the way. So, for two years, he has given back to his hometown community by providing school supplies for the students at Pike County Elementary School.

“Cornelius said he wants to buy the supplies for the students so their parents will not have to worry about the added expenses of getting back to school,” said Mark Griffin, Cornelius’ brother. “He just wants all the kids to be able to start the year off right.”

Griffin requested a school supply list for each grade at PCES and purchased what was needed for each student – all 450 of them.

The supplies included pencils, paper, binders, folders, supply boxes, glue sticks, scissors, crayons, colored pencils, markers and book bags.

Kenneth Bynum, PCES principal, estimated the savings to the parents of each child at between $15 and $25 depending on the grade level.

“The outstanding generosity of Cornelius Griffin guarantees that each student will start school with the supplies that he or she needs, and it also helps the parents in these difficult economic times,” Bynum said. “We dispense the supplies that the students will need for the first semester. Then we will reissue supplies to the students in January. These supplies should last us most of the year. We just can’t say, ‘thank you, thank you, thank you’ enough to Cornelius Griffin. His generosity is outstanding.”