Back to School Back Pack Give Away Planned for Waverly

(WAVERLY, NY) On Friday, August 24th, 2012 from 1-4pm there will be an event held in downtown Waverly with the sole purpose of making sure that Waverly’s students have the resources that they need for the upcoming school year. 

Two of Waverly’s nonprofits, The Red Door Café and Thrift Store and The Susquehanna River Archaeological Center (SRAC) have teamed together with many local businesses to make the first annual “Back to School  - BackPack Giveaway” an event for students needing supplies for the upcoming school year.  SRAC’s Deb Twigg explained,” Unlike kids in PA , Waverly’s students must bring certain supplies like pencils, pens, glue sticks and notebooks when they arrive at school. You can imagine the stress this can cause families with tight incomes or with several children in school. As a result, Mary Perry Rogers of The Red Door went after a grant for 300 back packs for Waverly students. Since then it has been like ‘stone soup.’ By that, I mean, everybody we ask throws in what they can, resulting in a really amazing event.”

At this time, the free event includes not only the 300 initial backpacks from the Red Door, but 40 more that have been donated by the Church of the Nazarene.  SRAC, Chemite, WalMart, The Waverly Community Chest, The Railhouse and many private individuals have also donated more supplies to help fill each back pack. Along with the free back pack giveaway, Waverly teachers will be running carnival-style games where students can win additional supplies.  Free refreshments, face painting, an air filled “bouncy house,” and even a dunking booth donated by the American Legion for the event will also add to the carnival-like atmosphere.  The event will also have a clown, provide a chance to win a free birthday cake from Desserts First, free coloring books and first aid kits from the Red Cross, Childhood Obesity information from the Guthrie Endocrinology Team, and a bullying class presented in the SRAC lecture hall by ProCare. The Tioga County Sherriff's Department will be at the SRAC Gift Shop during the event giving free photo ID's and fingerprinting.

Twigg added, “In order to get a free back pack, students just need to bring proof of their residency in the Waverly school district. The rest of the event is free to attend and open to all students in need of supplies, helpful information and a good time.”

The event takes place on Park Avenue between SRAC and the Red Door Café and is set to run from 1-4 pm. Donations of school supplies are still being accepted and can be dropped off at SRAC during normal business hours. Interested parties are asked to call Deb Twigg at SRAC at (607)565-7960 for more information.