BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Hundreds of Union County students gathered to pick up school backpacks and supplies during a community-wide event at Lake Butler Middle School on Saturday.
Event organizer Tina Lloyd said this is the third year her original group of seven friends, now 14, have put together the giveaway, which has grown each year.
Before the 8 a.m. start time, two lines, each consisting of around 60 people, extended from the front of the middle school gym to the sidewalk.
Lloyd said that, before her group organized their giveaway, several groups would run up to three events a year, with families collecting items from each event. She added that businesses that contribute to the need appreciate a single, structured effort.
“We had over 55 businesses participate,” she said. “We raised $31,500 in non-monetary donations, like gift cards and supplies. Andrews Site Prep gave us $10,000 for the backpacks.”
Lloyd said that last year, her group, now organized as the nonprofit Union County Impact Initiative, distributed fewer than 700 backpacks. This year, 860 are available, and any leftovers will be given to the three public schools for students who need them.
Lloyd said she expected a bigger turnout this year because the event is inside the middle school gym, rather than outdoors as in previous years.
She added that the volume of school supplies given away is increasing this year.
“Last year, we gave one pack of notebook paper,” she said. “This year, we’re giving out two per student. We’re giving two composition books.”
Also new this year were haircuts.
