The Gilmer County Optimist Club begins its seventh annual Stuff the Bus school supply drive this week.
Donation boxes will be put up at the Gilmer Chamber, 696 First Avenue and the East Ellijay UPS Store, 96 Craig Street, Suite 112, Thursday morning and will remain there until Aug. 5, said Molly Landry, the drive’s chairperson.
“(People who want to donate) can drop off supplies at those locations. Everything stays in Gilmer County,” she added.
The drive will culminate with a two-day collection event in front of the East Ellijay Walmart at which local Optimist Club members will attempt to literally stuff a school bus with supplies.
“We’re going to be at Walmart Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1, from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. We’re going to be collecting school supplies for the kids of Gilmer County. We’ll also be collecting donations of money. With those donations of money, we will go and buy supplies for teachers and students for the school year,” Landry said.
When a teacher is made aware that a child does not have or cannot obtain school supplies, that’s when many of the donated items are typically used.
“Our Gilmer teachers, along with the Boys and Girls Club, have access to donated items for distribution during the academic year,” Landry noted.
The school supply drive is for grades K-12. Items that can be donated range from basic school supplies like pencils, pens, backpacks, crayons, calculators, markers and notebooks to sanitary supplies like wet wipes and tissues that may be needed more than normal this year.
Landry said if, for some reason, the 2020-21 school year does not start on Aug. 3, as is currently planned, the supplies will still be used after the academic year begins.
“As of right now, (the start date) is Monday, Aug. 3. We haven’t heard anything different,” she noted.
Last year’s Stuff the Bus drive, including the Walmart event, was particularly successful and the local Optimists hope this year’s drive will be, too.
“We had the best turnout we’ve ever had last year. It was amazing. We collected $2,664 in cash and we filled up every seat in the bus with school supplies,” Landry said.
For questions about Stuff the Bus, Landry can be reached at 337-523-6483 or cajunreader@gmail.com.