EIGHT HUNDRED MILES SEPArate Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, from Eastampton, New Jersey. But last year, the two towns came together in a surprising way.
Thad Livingston, a New Jersey resident and retired Air Force colonel, had just wrapped up a day with his grandson when an e-mail popped up on his phone. “Welcome to the new school year!” the message said. “Our open house is this Friday. Hope you all can make it. Here’s to a wonderful year! Emily Lupton, Mt. Juliet Elementary, fifth grade teacher.”
Thad didn’t know an Emily Lupton, and when he Googled Mt. Juliet Elementary, he discovered that it was in Tennessee. The e-mail had been sent to him by mistake. His wife, Kathy, is a teacher, so he knew how important it was to get the…
