August 27, 2012
All the smiling, giddy faces on the morning of Friday, August 10 made it difficult to tell who was more excited about Pack2School, the kids or the volunteers. Hundreds of children waited anxiously to pick out their school supplies. Meanwhile, volunteers took their places, ready to face paint, help children pick out supplies and entertain through dancing and music.
Planning this event is unlike any other because we have to take into account the thousands of students in Poudre School District whose families need assistance purchasing school supplies this year. OtterCares’ mission of educating and empowering youth makes it essential for us to ensure these kids have the tools necessary for classroom success.
In our second year of hosting the Pack2School event, OtterCares made several operational changes to improve the overall flow of the event, while still maintaining a fun-filled, action –packed atmosphere. The increased need for school supplies in Poudre School District and coupled with the addition of high school students, the event served over 1700 students this year, up more than 20% from last year.
While waiting to shop for school supplies, participants enjoyed entertainment, which included face painting, dancing, music and signed autographs from local, aspiring Indy car driver Scott Anderson. Several local non-profit agencies were also on-hand to provide important information about programs and offerings. Volunteers and participants alike left the day feeling happy and excited to get the school year started off right!