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July 2, 2009

Organizations collect school supplies

BY ANNA HERKAMP

DANVILLE — Kids still have another month and a half to savor the summer, but some area parents are already worried about how they’ll pay for new school supplies for next school year.

Sharon Sawka, director of social services at the Danville Salvation Army, said she’s seen some people planning the expenses already.

She recently talked with a mother of three local kids who places clothes on layaway. She couldn’t buy clothes all at once for all three children, so she’s devising a payment plan now.

“We see a lot of that,” Sawka said.

As the economy worsens, more and more people are feeling the pinch.

Although local retailers have bargain back-to-school sales, it’s still difficult for many families with multiple kids, Sawka said.

“Even if they’re marked down, (multiple that) times four or five or six children,” Sawka said.

“We’re seeing more and more people losing out and more and more people getting laid off,” she said.

“We’re just there to help, so that it’s one less pressure.”

To help out, the Salvation Army is teaming up with Project Success and Danville United Way to sponsor a school supplies drive July 6-17.

Organizers hope to fill a bus with supplies, thus naming the drive a “fill-a-bus-ter.”

The drive will be held in a CRIS Senior Services bus at each location of the drive.

Kathleen Lashbrook, an Americorps volunteer working at Project Success for the summer, said the supplies will be open to any Vermilion County family that can prove need by family size and income eligibility.

Donors who’d like to give to the drive can provide school supplies of nearly any kind, including pens — blue or black ink only, paper, folders, notebooks, erasers, boxes of tissues, rulers and crayons.

The supplies would be for kindergarten through the 12th grade.

“Anything people are able to donate when they’re out buying for their own kids,” Lashbrook explained.

Project Success recently received a donation of several cases of book bags, which will package the supplies for the families.

Lashbrook said she’ll compile a list of the most-needed supplies. Anyone who’d like to volunteer with the drive can contact Project Success for more information.

Distribution will take place Aug. 1 at the Salvation Army.

‘FILL A BUS’

The Project Success, Salvation Army and United Way “Fill-a-BUS-ter” school supplies drive will take place 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through July 17 at various locations:

Monday: Danville Village Mall

Tuesday: Georgetown IGA

Wednesday: Big Lots

Thursday: Danville Big R

July 10: Downtown Danville “Summer Sounds” Concert – time to be announced.

July 11: Danville Public Library

July 12: Municipal Band Concert- Lincoln Park, 6-9 p.m.

July 13: Tilton Big R

July 14: Danville Towne Center

July 15: McDonald’s- North Vermilion, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 16: Hoopeston CVS

July 17: Danville WalMart

Call 446-3200 for more information.

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