TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Backpacks Filled With Supplies, Hope

ADVERTISEMENT

By MEGAN HUSSEY

Tribune correspondent

Published: August 2, 2008

SAN ANTONIO - Friday morning, 34 Pasco schoolchildren got a head start on the school year with donations of fully stocked backpacks, and a head start on the future with new career opportunities.

The children, ages 4 through junior high, were the children of area farmworkers served by the Dade City-based Farm Workers Self-Help Inc. program. They gathered at San Antonio Animal Hospital at the invitation of Projects of Pasco, a nonprofit organization that supplies school supplies for needy east and central Pasco schoolchildren, and the San Antonio Rotary Club.

Projects of Pasco supplied all of the notebooks, paper, pencils, pencil boxes, calculators and other supplies to fill the decorative backpacks, which were provided by the organization and the Rotary club.

The club also supplied Spanish-to-English dictionaries and donated a barbecue lunch for the children.

"With my new stuff, I'm so ready for school," said Brittany Tores, 8, who will be in the second grade at R.B. Cox Elementary.

And that's the idea behind Friday's event, said Bob Loring, executive director of East Pasco Toys for Tots and an affiliate with Projects of Pasco.

"When many of us are facing challenges in buying gas and other necessities, you can imagine how pressured Toys for Tots families feel when trying to buy school supplies for their kids," said Loring. "We want to get these kids set up with everything they need for school."

Before they received their school supplies, the children toured San Antonio Animal Hospital and saw veterinarians and veterinary technicians at work. They saw a dog undergo a teeth cleaning, studied animal X-rays and viewed a video about how to interact safely with animals.

"This is also an educational experience," Loring said. "The kids can learn more about animals and about careers in the veterinary field."

Margarita Romo, executive director of Farm Workers Self-Help, appreciated the school supplies and the educational opportunities.

"We feel so special to have been picked for the donation," Romo said. "And by learning about veterinary careers, the kids have something to dream about. We want to give them dreams."

Diana Maddox, a veterinarian with San Antonio Animal Hospital, agrees.

"Today it's all about the kids," she said.

Also present for the tour was Anna Fulk, chairwoman of Projects of Pasco; state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey; and Ash Mason, a representative of state Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, and eight members of the San Antonio Rotary Club.

"Bob Loring, who is our honorary member, came to one of our meetings and encouraged us to get involved," said Rotarian Delores Riego de Dios.

"It's a great way to be a part of the community, and I love to see the kids' faces when they receive their backpacks," said club member Pam Avis.

The backpacks, distributed by Fulk, came complete with popular themes and designs. The younger children got Dora the Explorer, Tinkerbell, Dusty Rust-eze the truck, Diego (a Spanish character) and princess bags, while older children received solid colored and brightly patterned bags.

"My new backpack is cool," said 11-year-old Lizbet Sanchez, soon to be a sixth-grader at Centennial Middle School. "I think it's great to help children in need."

Fulk and Projects of Pasco will help more children in need Aug. 16, when they will distribute school supply donations to children who have registered with the program, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Wesley Chapel Elementary.

Projects of Pasco still is in need of donations; monetary donations may be deposited at any Wachovia Bank, and school supply donations may be picked up by calling Suse Hilton at (813) 842-3566 or Kevin Connell at (813) 841-9752. Those who wish to register their children to receive school supplies at the Aug. 16 distribution also may call these numbers.

"I just want people to know that, even by donating $1, you can help one needy child get all the supplies they need for school," Fulk said.

Keyword: Back To School Party, to see more photos from Friday's event.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT