Stuff The Bus Helps Fill Operation Backpack Needs

Caleb Gipple helps load school supplies onto the bus on Friday during ‘Stuff the Bus’.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The cars started streaming into the parking lot just North of Hy-Vee on Friday morning around 11 am. Cars with boxes of school supplies were unloaded and filled up an Oskaloosa School District bus.

Amy Meyer, Mahaska County United Way Director, explains that the ‘Stuff the Bus’ program continues to grow year by year.  Since its inception, the program has helped to provide 2,500 backpacks for Oskaloosa and Mahaska County students, of all ages, with the needed supplies to make the school year successful.

Some of that success comes from the businesses in the community, with their willingness to help collect supplies, and their employees that often generously help fill those collection boxes. “It just helps us so much when we go to pack backpacks to have a huge amount of supplies at our disposal, that we don’t have to go out and buy,” added Meyer.

“Without ‘Stuff The Bus,’ ‘Operation Backpack’ would end up costing a lot more donor dollars, so we’re happy people like to give,” said Meyer. “I think people really have a heart for kids.”

“Who doesn’t love buying school supplies?” Meyer said. “It’s a good way for everyone to be connected to a program they might not be connected with otherwise.”

Meyer explained that the growth in the program has come in the form of a statue contest. Area individuals and businesses will be building sculptures out of school supplies and having them displayed inside Penn Central Mall.

“It’s a good way to make something fun out of school supplies,” which helps get more people involved added Meyer.

After all of the backpacks are stuffed, the remaining supplies are then shared with area schools and held in a closet for use during the school year.

The contest is the brainchild of Mike Gipple from Penn Central Mall. His son Caleb is an intern this summer for the United Way. Caleb has been busy finding participants for the contest.

Caleb says he’s been excited to help bring the sculpture contest to life.

With 13 area businesses taking part, Caleb sees the contest as a play off of the community sculptures that sprang up around town during the summer.

It’s also a way for United Way to create more awareness of the school supply program that’s been in place.

The sculptors will use the supplies they bring to the event to construct their creations. “A masterpiece if you will,” says Caleb.

The sculptures will be displayed at Penn Central Mall during the 1st week of August.

Afterward, the sculptures will be dismantled and used to help fill backpacks for students.

Posted by on Jul 30 2017. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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