LUMBERTON — More than 40 volunteers and employees of the Public Schools of Robeson County worked a huge assembly line throughout the day Wednesday stuffing thousands of bags with school supplies and materials for the school district’s Back to School Celebration.
Truck after truck of school materials were unloaded at the Southeastern North Carolina Agricultural Events Center for the event. The celebration is the Public Schools of Robeson County’s largest event. Administrators are expecting more than 20,000 students, parents, volunteers and community members to attend the event today.
It will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the events center on U.S. 74. Each school in the district will have a booth at the celebration. Translators will be on hand to assist families.
As staff members unboxed new items to add to the line, Ruby Campbell and Grace Smith stood shoulder deep in school paper as they stuffed it into bags.Campbell and Smith both have volunteered at all of the back-to-school celebrations.
“I have been here every year; the day they prepare and the day that they give away,” Campbell said. “I think it is just amazing that they will do this for the children because some parents are not able to buy all of this stuff that they get in those bags and buy book bags. You couldn’t ask for anything better for the children and the parents.”
The celebration gives students a chance to begin the new school year with classroom supplies and meet their school principal.
Amy Haigler is coordinator of the Parent-Student Center, which is the event’s host. Haigler has organized the celebration for seven years.
“After the hurricane, this has been an especially tough year on our families,” Haigler said. “I have been surprised at the continued number of donations for our district. We know starting school this year will be more than challenging for some students. While they are out of the hotels and that is a great thing, some are still displaced from their homes.”
Haigler says the district is fortunate that businesses, sponsors, PSRC employees and more than 200 volunteers give of their time to make sure the event runs smoothly, Haigler said. The volunteers move the thousands of parents and students through the farmers market in a 10- to 15-minute process. That includes picking up the supplies, meeting with school staff and picking up a few snacks.
This year, the students will receive a blue mesh book bag. Students who attend the celebration event also will receive notebook paper, activity books, crayons, markers, note cards, sticky pads, coloring pencils and books. Parents will receive a bag, notebooks, calendar and an umbrella.
Marissa Capps joined four staff members from the United Way of Robeson County in volunteering to stuff the school bags.
“This is the first time I have assisted with this project,” said Capps, a recent graduate of Lumberton High. “Helping kids is important to United Way and as a high school graduate it is pretty cool to see how things work behind the scene. I plan to stay all day.”
The supplies are definitely worth the wait to prepare students, Haigler said.
“We are thankful to be able to help our students be prepared for a successful year. We are grateful to many community partners that contributed during these difficult times,” she said.
