By JUDITH O. ETZEL
Contributing writer
The Titusville High School Student United Way/Rotary Interact is pairing with the United Way of the Titusville Region for their fourth annual Stuff the Bus school supplies drive. The purpose is to fill a bus with school essentials for children in the area who need help preparing for school.
When the student organization and the United Way initiated the drive four years ago, Terri Wig, chief professional officer of United Way and Student United Way advisor, said donations were small. Since then, donations have steadily increased, reaching over 5,000 items during last year’s drive. This year, the students hope to attain their goal of 6,000 items.
“This is the kids’ biggest project of the year,” Wig said. “They are working very hard.”
So how do they know which children need help?
According to Wig, a local agency does intakes for families in need and the schools also have a “pretty good idea of which kids need help.” All donations are disbursed among the Early Childhood Learning Center; Main Street, Hydetown and Pleasantville elementary schools; children in the Keystone STARS program; and a local church. The schools have closets that will be filled with the supplies, making them available for the children.
“We start from scratch every year. Everything on the (provided) list is needed,” Wig said.
Two new items being asked for are socks and underwear for the Early Childhood Learning Center to help students that don’t bring extra clothes in case of an accident.
The student organization will be in the Oil Festival parade on Aug. 12, and there also will be a donation station at the Titusville Walmart on Aug. 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donation also can be dropped off at the United Way office until Aug. 18.
Items needed include pencils, pens, crayons, glue and glue sticks, highlighters, washable markers, boxes of tissues, hand sanitizer, colored pencils, calculators, rulers, erasers, notebooks, backpacks, lunchboxes, and underwear and socks for children ages 4-6. Cash donations are also accepted.
