Update on Our Recent School Bag Giveaway

The New Heights Educational Group (NHEG) recently held its annual School Bag Giveaway event. The organization partnered with many local businesses interested in making a difference in the community. This year marked the third event, and NHEG volunteer Enjoli Baker is still taking the lead in ordering supplies from those businesses and agencies. As we’ve done in previous years, we again reached out to community businesses for help in obtaining more supplies to add to the boxes that were sent to us. Heather Buttermore of The Gathering Place saw our post asking for a place to hold events and was generous enough to offer the building for the event. She also worked to gather donations from their church community. New supporters for this year included Tractor Supply of Defiance, which donated two buckets for the raffle. Costco donated a $50 gift card, which was used by Pamela and Greg Clark in purchasing the snacks for the event.

Some area businesses have helped us every year since we started the event, and we are so thankful to them. They include First Federal Bank, which donated a $100 check – Pamela and Greg Clark personally went shopping for school supplies with this money; Captain D’s, which again offered beverages, balloons for decorations, four dinner coupons for raffle, bookmarks with coupons for free kids’ meals on them and a key hook for book bags; 4Imprint, which donated the bookbags as well as pens, pencils, key flashlights and other goodies – their donation is valued at $500; and 2nd and 7 Foundation, which provided free story books and requires that they be read to second graders by someone involved in sports. Ashlee Scott read these stories and handed them out. She enjoys playing softball and soccer, runs track and will be bowling in 2019.

Office Max had supported the event in the past but this year they raised the bar by offering us free printables including a copy of NHEG’s new comic book for each attendee, all the leftover school supplies from last year and two book bags and additional school supplies. Imagination Station, Toledo Science Center donated a family 4-pack of admission tickets, handmade hats were donated by the Blankets of Love Group and the National School Choice Week organization donated scarves that were handed out last year and now this year.

A special thank you to Tammy and Kyle Barham and her children Ethan, Ashlee and Leigha for volunteering pre-event and during the event. They helped deliver letters, make calls, fill bags and run errands. A sticker, wrist ban and pin station was run by Ethan Long.

Pamela Clark, Founder/Executive Director, stated, “We are happy that others in our community have stepped up to make a difference in the lives of those in need. Thank you all!”