LOVELOCK - Students were better prepared for this week's first day of school after Saturday's "Loving Lovelock School Share" at the Courthouse Park.
About 100 children each received a free backpack complete with classroom supplies, dental products and handy tools sometimes in short supply at school like pencil sharpeners and glue sticks.
As friends investigated the backpacks, Brenee Lee, 11, said she was pleased with the gift.
"They had blue, my favorite color, and there was a lot of stuff in it," she explained.
While others waited in line for backpacks and a free lunch, Lilli Weatherman and her friends got busy sharpening their pencils and testing new markers by on each other's arms.
Nicole Reitz, a mother of five boys, watched as her chattering entourage of sons, nephews and nieces checked out the oral hygiene products found in each backpack.
"I think it's nice. It helps me get my kids prepared for school and it has a good teeth cleaning kit to teach them hygiene with toothbrush, floss and mouthwash," she said.
"It has everything to get them clean for school and good supplies to get them started."
Reitz said the free supplies and backpacks were big help due to recent family expenses.
"It's helping out because this year we've had significant struggles," she said. "My husband Greg just adopted my son from his father so we had to pay for that and Nicholas broke his arm so we had to travel to Reno often so this has really helped."
The event was organized and hosted by the New Life Fellowship Assembly of God Church. The congregation of 50 to 60 people paid for all the school and dental supplies, 125 backpacks, plus the free lunch, Pastor Chris Wenzel said. Free children's clothing was offered by Howard and Cherryll Pritchett of the Living Waters Ministry House.
After running out of backpacks on Saturday, the church group then purchased 25 more backpacks and more supplies to be delivered to the students who missed out at the event.
Wenzel said there will be a follow-up meeting at the church on Sept. 15 at 12:30 p.m. to plan ahead for next year's school backpack giveaway. Anyone interested in helping out is welcome to attend.
The church will be busy with other upcoming youth events including the three-day "Extreme Tour" on Sept. 16 -18 that features bands and skate park competitions.
On Sept. 22, the church will host "Teen Challenge," a ministry to help prevent teenage drug and alcohol problems that's open to the community. On Sept. 26 at 7:15 a.m., the church is sponsoring "See You at the Pole," a student-initiated morning prayer ceremony for all students at the high school flag pole.
The congregation is planning ahead for the church's annual turkey basket giveaways at Thanksgiving and Christmas, Wenzel said. Donations and volunteers will be needed to support the holiday food program for Pershing County residents in need.
For more information on any upcoming events or how to get involved, call Wenzel at 273-2453 at the New Life Fellowship Assembly of God Church in Lovelock.
[[In-content Ad]]
