The 7th annual Stuff the Bus drive reached its goal of collecting K-12 school supplies for more than 700 students, organizers say. The drive was again a multi-community effort to provide children who need them with the tools for learning.
The Kiwanis Club of Pullman and Kiwanis Club of Moscow spearheaded the drive in collaboration with the Pullman, Colton/Uniontown and Colfax School Districts in Washington and the Moscow School District in Idaho.
“Many thanks to the Stuff the Bus sponsors, donors, media and volunteers who worked together across Palouse region communities to make this a successful drive,” said Kathy Cooper and Ginger Flynn, Stuff the Bus co-coordinators and Kiwanis members.
Flynn said youth eligible for free or reduced school lunches are eligible to receive school supplies from the drive. Parents should contact their child’s school to obtain a set of supplies.
Stuff the Bus Partners:
Stuff the Bus Platinum Partners who donated $1,000 or more to the drive include Pullman Child Welfare, Rain Shadow Research Inc., Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, and Washington State Employees Credit Union. Media providing $1,000 or more in value of radio air time were Inland Northwest Broadcasting, Pullman Radio/KQQQ and Northwest Public Radio. The drive had a total of 47 businesses and individuals as partners this year.
Pullman and Colton School Districts:
The goal of more than 525 backpacks full of supplies for elementary and middle school students plus bulk supplies for high school students for Pullman and Colton school districts was met.
In-kind donations of radio advertising to build visibility for this initiative contributed significantly to the success of the seventh annual drive, Cooper said. Other significant factors were Dissmores/IGA in Pullman providing pre-bagged school supplies packages at a discount for customers to buy and donate.
Neill Public Library was a school supplies drop-off location, as was Dave Christy State Farm Insurance, P1FCU, and Washington State Employee Credit Union. Businesses in Colton and Uniontown accepted supplies for their students. Businesses in Colton and Uniontown accepted supplies for their students.
Local Girl Scouts handed out school supplies lists to Dissmore’s shoppers. Members of the Pullman High School Key Club, a Kiwanis youth group, helped Kiwanians fill backpacks at the Gladish Community and Cultural Center Gym.
Moscow School District:
In its fourth year leading a Stuff the Bus drive, the Kiwanis Club of Moscow received support from business and individual sponsors in the Moscow community. Staples provided over pre-packaged bags of basic school supplies for its customers to purchase, and community members donated supplies at buses at Staples and Eastside Marketplace. All school supplies will be donated to the Moscow School District #281.
Colfax School District:
The Colfax drive accepted supplies at Rolling Hills Eye Care and Whitman County Hospital drop-off locations for students in the Colfax schools.
Thank you to all the sponsors for 7th Annual Stuff the Bus drive in 2015!
Platinum Partners
Inland Northwest Broadcasting
Northwest Public Radio
Pullman Child Welfare
Pullman Radio / KQQQ
Rain Shadow Research Inc.
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
Washington State Employees Credit Union
Gold Partners
AmericanWest Bank
Dissmore’s/IGA
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Furniture Center
Gladish Community & Cultural Center
David Sherman – Moscow Kiwanis
Mayor Glenn and Kathy Johnson
Northwest River Supplies
Pacific Northwest Farmers Group
Rolling Hills Eye Care
Staples
Silver Partners
Holiday Inn Express
Barbara and Richard Petura
Pickard Orthodontics
Pullman Disposal Services
Bronze Partners
Carolyn Allan
Anita’s Rentals
Edward Jones Investments – Greg Bloom
Brian’s Body Shop
Busch Distributors
Concordia Lutheran Church
Deny’s Auto Service
Digilent
Gritman Medical Center
Tom and Jeri Harris
Jack and BJ Hilliard
Sue and Mike Hinz
William Kerr
Mann & Stanke, CPAs
Palouse Design Associates
Monica Peters
Potlatch #1 Federal Credit Union
Pullman Chiropractic Clinic with
Melody A. Volk, DC
John Ramirez
RE/MAX Home and Land
Janice Stewart
SYG Nursery and Landscaping
Joe Thornton
Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse
Washington Trust Bank