Back to School Distribution Earns Top Grade

The list of supplies that each student needs to start the school year seems to get longer and cost more each year. It can be very difficult for families to provide their children with the needed supplies when they are having difficulty making ends meet every month. Students who start school without the basic supplies quickly lose the excitement and motivation to learn; they soon fall behind. To help ensure that no Walkersville area student starts school without the needed supplies, GVCS holds a school supplies distribution each year. This year, the Back to School distribution was held Sunday, August 7, at the Glade Valley Food Bank. Families were in line several hours before the doors opened.

A heartfelt Thank You for the very generous donations of supplies and money from individuals in the community, and the members and employees of the following organizations: Community of Christ Church, Walkersville United Methodist Church, Peace In Christ Lutheran Church, St. Timothy Catholic Church, Glade United Church of Christ, Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church, St. John’s United Church of Christ, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Galaxy Controls, Mom’s Club, and Lonza.

Thanks to these donations, the needed school supplies from the list provided by each school plus a backpack were distributed to 141 students from 63 families attending the Walkersville and Walkersville Feeder Schools.

After the distribution, the remaining school supplies were distributed to the Walkersville schools (Walkersville Elementary, Glade Elementary, Walkersville Middle School, Walkersville High School) and Walkersville feeder schools (New Midway Elementary, Woodsboro Elementary) and Thurmont Schools (Primary, Elementary, Middle) for use by the guidance counselors to assist other students in need of supplies. Distribution of remaining supplies occurred the week of August 15th.

A big Thank You and extra credit go to Don Boos and Ann Wadding, co-chairs of the Back to School project. The distribution could not have occurred without all the volunteers who sorted, organized and packed the supplies on the Friday and Saturday before the distribution. Thank You to all these volunteers: Don Boos, Ann Wadding, Bob and Kathy Fenimore, Sally Walton, Barbara Crum, Mel Palmer, Lynn Hawks, Kathy Nicodemus, Pamela Ringer, Jennifer Ringer, Kai Ringer, Russell Royston, Jim Mullins, Matt Wadding, Ashley Haugh, Sheri Jacobs, Megan Jacobs, Tammy Rowland, Austin Rowland, and those who helped but didn’t sign in. Helping with distribution on Sunday, August 7th, were Ann Wadding, Kathy Fenimore, Kristen Spear, Brittany Blood, Mel Palmer, Kathy Nicodemus, Lynn Hawks, Jim Mullins, Russell Royston, and Don Boos.