Supporting Teachers & Students for the Upcoming School Year
Durham, NC Aug. 20 – In its support of local schools, Couch Oil Cares, the non-profit organization of Couch Oil Company of Durham, recently delivered backpacks and school supplies to Hillandale Elementary School and Northern High School. During July and August, they organized their first ever Fill ’er Up Backpack Drive and Teachers’ Dream Supply List Fundraiser. With the help of employees, customers, and other community connections, 60 backpacks, stuffed with supplies for students in need, were collected. They also surprised four Northern teachers and the entire Hillandale faculty with their dream supplies for the upcoming school year.
To prepare for the deliveries, employees and friends gathered at Couch & Co., Couch Oil’s local fireplace and patio store,to organize the backpacks and school supplies. They then packed multiple vehicles full and left to surprise the teachers at Hillandale and Northern. While visiting the schools, a special guest joined to help distribute the supplies -- Durham Bulls mascot, Wool E. Bull! Since 2015, Couch Oil Cares has partnered with the Durham Bulls to annually award six scholarships to graduating high school students in the Greater Triangle Area. As the non-profit’s efforts have expanded, this partnership has continued with the Durham Bulls to strengthen their impact on the local community.
This year, Couch Oil Company celebrates a significant milestone in their journey as they have been serving the Greater Triangle Area for 75 years. When Carlton Couch founded Couch Oil Company in 1949, he made it his mission to make a difference in the lives of his customers and employees by serving them with excellence and engaging with them like family. Steve Couch, Carlton’s son, now presides over company operations and continues to implement these values by demonstrating loyalty to customers, employees, and the community.
Steve and his sister, Janice Couch Thompson, both grew up in Durham and attended Hillandale Elementary School and Northern High School. Janice, who retired in 2012, spent her entire 30-year career as a school counselor at Carrington Middle School and Northern High School. Kathie Davidson, a board member of Couch Oil Cares, is also a DPS retiree, who taught at Riverside High School and Northern High School over her 31-year career. As the family business has expanded, Steve and Janice established their non-profit Couch Oil Cares as a way of giving back to the community that shaped them.
