Clubs double school supply drive

A primary push in 2008 to provide pens, pencils, paper and the like to public school students proved popular enough to inspire its organizers to double the drive this year.

Kiwanis clubs in Brandon, Plant City and Sun City Center on July 27 kicked off the second annual Stuff The Bus campaign. The effort aims to provide free supplies to students whose families have a tough time affording the back-to-school basics such as crayons, markers and folders.

On Aug. 13, club members will station school buses at two local shopping centers, where the community is invited to help stuff the vehicles with donated items. Volunteers will distribute the supplies to schools throughout the county and ask administrators to dole out the donations to students in need.

Supplies and cash donations may also be delivered any day through Aug. 12 to one of eight drop-off points in Brandon, Plant City, Ruskin and Apollo Beach.

In 2008, the group filled one bus stationed in Brandon with $6,200 worth of donated supplies and distributed the haul to 38 public schools.

Dustie Amantangelo, foundation president of the Greater Brandon Kiwanis Club, said swelling economic and employment issues prompted the group to expand the effort and add a second bus this year.

"There are many people out of work and needing a hand up," Amantangelo said.

Seel Lundy, foundation president of the Kiwanis Club of Sun City Center, said basic back-to-school costs amount to about $100 per child.

"Oftentimes, teachers end up making the difference, spending their own money to purchase supplies for students and their classrooms," Lundy said.

STUFF THE BUS

WHEN: 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Aug. 13

WHERE: Kmart, 1602 Brandon Blvd., Brandon, and Staples, 1864 James L Redman Parkway, Plant City.

DROP BOX SPOTS: Donations may delivered in advance through Aug. 12 in Brandon at the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, 330 Pauls Drive and Kmart, 1602 Brandon Blvd.; in Plant City at Stingray Chevrolet, 2002 N. Frontage Road, and Sweetbay Supermarket, 205 W. Alexander St.; in Ruskin at ReMax Universal Realty, 3896 Sun City Center Blvd.; and in Apollo Beach at South Shore Day Spa, 6418 N. U.S. 41 and South Shore Gallery, 447 Apollo Beach Blvd.

ITEMS SOUGHT: Loose leaf paper, notebooks, pencils, pens, backpacks, scissors, crayons and pocket folders, dry erase markers, colored pens, copy paper, markers and reward stickers. CONTACT: call (813) 671-0620 or e-mail kstuffthebus@yahoo.com.