Long County held its third annual Back-to-School Bash at the Recreation Department this past Saturday, July 20, 2024.
Several local businesses and churches were there to distribute numerous school supplies to the children of the community as they prepare to go back to school on August 5.
The businesses and churches that came out for the event are as follows:
• Long County Recreation Dept. Events Committee - drawstring bags and water bottles
• The Center Ministries - pencils and erasers
• Long County Fire Department and Peachy Clean, LLC - pocket folders
• Long County Board of Commissioners - spiral notebooks
• Long County Family, Career, Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) - crayons
• Long County, Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance - $200 donation
• Excelsior Ambulance Service - pencils
• Judge Teresa Odum, Probate & Magistrate Court of Long County - notebook paper
• Becky Fowler, Tax Commissioner of Long County - pencils and prize toys
• Genesis Jiujitsu - glue sticks
• Town and Country Florist, Boutique, and Salon - earbuds and headphones
• Trinity Baptist Church - pens
• Southern Comfort Massage, LLC - earbuds and headphones
• Miller’s Nursery & Landscaping, LLC - pocket folders
• Jones Creek Baptist Church - spiral notebooks and popsicles
• The Compass Worship Church - crayons
• Long County Sheriff’s Office - dry erase markers
• The Ruise Family: Roosevelt & Lisa Ruise - erasers
• Long County 4-H - pencils
• Long County Chamber of Commerce - glue sticks
• Long County Board of Education Long County Schools - pencils
• JPS Photography, James B. Smith, Attorney at Law//Ludowici, GA - notebook paper
• Canoochee EMC - $2500 roundup grant to go towards supplies
•A&M Beauty Salon- raffle drawing for 60 free back-to-school cuts
• Coastal Pines Technical College - informational material
• Long County Head Start- informational material
Each of these organizations distributed free items, including backpacks, drawstring bags, pencils, and crayons, as well as other supplies.
Lynette Futch of the Long County Chamber of Commerce said the need and desire to have the Back-to-School Bash was simple.
“The need in the community is great,” Futch said. “We wanted to give back to those in the community who truly do need it.”
The Long County Farm Bureau donated $200 to go towards crayons that were disseminated by the FCCLA.
The Chamber of Commerce also applied for a grant from Canoochee EMC and received $2500 to go towards drawstring book bags and water bottles.
Lisa McCallister, Assistant Superintendent of the Long County Board of Education, was there with the Board helping to give out pencils.
McCallister said the Board hoped the event was an opportunity to help parents out so they had a little less to spend on school supplies.
“It helps with the burden of purchasing school supplies that’s placed on parents,” McCallister said. “We try not to ask parents to spend a lot of their money on school supplies, but there are things that students do need.”
In the past, the students have not been required to attend in order to receive the supplies. However, next year, an attempt will be made to require them to attend.