Nearly 200 children showed up at the Kiwanis Tot Lot No. 1 Thursday to try and get one of 100 new backpacks stuffed with school supplies and given out by the Kiwanis Club of Kent and Communities in Schools.
According to club President Dave Hobbs, people started lining up at the park an hour before the giveaway was scheduled to begin. Hobbs, who was manning the grill cooking hot dogs for everyone at the park, said he was surprised at the turnout.
“It says this is a community in need,” he said. “There’s a lot of people struggling with the economy as it is.”
For the families who received the the green and orange packs, the donation of school supplies in a difficult economy meant the world to them.
“I have everything now for my kids,” said Maria Fernandez, whose 5-year-old Oswaldo heads to kindergarten this fall. “I can save up money for other things like clothes or tennis shoes for them.”
It was a common refrain throughout the park.
“It’s money that can now go for other things,” said Russell Edwards, who was recently laid off and whose son O’Neil, 10, searched through his bag to check out his supplies and declared his findings “cool.”
Amber Dresie was on hand to pick up a backpack for her daughter Caitlyn, 8, and said that with her being pregnant, her husband was the only one who could work right now, making money tight.
“It means a lot my kid because she would otherwise not have school supplies,” Dresie said, adding that like others, spending money on school supplies would mean going without somewhere else.
“It helps put food on the table,” she said. “The $30-$40 we had to put into school supplies we can put to food.”
Communities in Schools treasurer and Kiwanis Club of Kent member Janet Stebbins said the backpack project took shape over the past few weeks as the clubs were looking for a project. Stebbins said the local schools support group Communities in Schools provided the backpacks and Kiwanis provided the supplies, but even she was taken aback by the number of people who showed up for the event.
“I’m a little shocked,” she said. “I think it says this is a tough economy and people need help.”
Stebbins said the groups pulled lists of school supplies from local schools to make sure the right supplies made their way into the backpacks, which were split between students in primary grades and those heading into grades 3-6.
“We want kids to be ready to go to school,” she said. “We didn’t want them to worry about having pencils and crayons to start school with.”
The parents also expressed appreciation to the Kiwanis, Communities in Schools and Kent Parks.
“It’s a good idea. I really appreciate it,” added Rodney Fisher, whose daughter Kayla is heading into kindergarten.
“I thank them so much,” echoed Dresie.
Because organizers were overwhelmed by the turnout, not every child in attendance received a backpack. However, officials from Kiwanis and Communities in Schools took down names of the other students and said they would be working to collect supplies for them as well. Anyone interested in donating school supplies or money for supplies should call Janet Stebbins at 253-709-9559.
“If you’ve got the means to donate, do so,” said Kiwanis President Dave Hobbs.
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