Panama City organizations to host back-to-school event with 200 new backpacks, free haircuts

Ebonee Burrell, The News Herald
·3 min read

PANAMA CITY — City organizations will pave the way for families to get a head start on school supplies for the upcoming year through a back-to-school event.

Back-to-School Roll Out takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Daffin Park, 320 Kraft Ave. in Panama City, when city organizations will host a backpack giveaway to help students gear up for the school year through fun, games, activities and more.

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Back-to-School Roll Out takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Daffin Park, 320 Kraft Ave. in Panama City.
Back-to-School Roll Out takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Daffin Park, 320 Kraft Ave. in Panama City.

Organizers plan to distribute up to 200 new backpacks filled with basic school supplies, swag items from local businesses and free gifts. All school children are eligible to receive a backpack, and the giveaway will last until the supply runs out.

Panama City’s Quality of Life Department collaborated with many local organizations to put on the inaugural event for the community.

“I think it will be a great community day, and we’re really trying to bring back more of these grassroot events and activities to the community to keep us together,” said Sean DePalma, director of the Quality of Life Department. “It seems like we haven’t had that for years.”

In partnership with the city’s Quality of Life Department, the event is coordinated by Boys & Girls Club of Bay County Inc., Shari Steele, Steele Boys’ Bail Bonds Inc, DADSRA and Buffalo Rock.

Back-to-School Roll Out takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Daffin Park, 320 Kraft Ave. in Panama City.
Back-to-School Roll Out takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Daffin Park, 320 Kraft Ave. in Panama City.

Food, fun and haircuts

In addition to the backpack giveaway, families will have the opportunity to explore a fleet of municipal trucks and listen to live music from DJ Slim Pimp while enjoying free hot dogs, snow cones and games.

Adding to the event, the local organization Demonstrating the Ability to Deploy Serve, Restore, and Aid (DADSRA) will provide free haircuts to school children. In addition, a raffle for a free Chromebook will take place and all students in attendance are eligible to enter.

Michelle Clay, executive director of DADSRA, said joining the festivities helps the organization continue the mission of giving back to the community.

“With inflation and the costs rising for everything, we wanted to give back through this event and help ease the financial burden for families,” Clay said. “This is just another way to come out and support the community through food and fun.”

As an inaugural event, DePalma said he anticipates the department will grow the event even bigger next year.

“Ideally, our goal is to have something at Tommy Oliver Stadium where all the nonprofit organizations can participate to have a large event and full day of activities,” DePalma said. “This is a good first move, and hopefully next year we could fulfill that goal.”

Ease the financial burden

With the first day of school just three weeks away, parents and teachers are shopping to fulfill the needs of the classroom for the school year. And local educators believe the city’s efforts to host a backpack giveaway help eliminate the financial stress for both parents and teachers.

Bay District Schools Director of Communications Sharon Michalik said she’s appreciative to serve in a community that participates in back-to-school events similar to these.

“(Bay District Schools) appreciates all community organizations who assist our families with school supplies, school clothing, and other necessities,” Michalik said. “We know it can be expensive to outfit students for back to school and we also know that this responsibility falls to our own teachers all too often.”

Joining the effort is Florida’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, which runs from July 25 through Aug. 7. The annual holiday exempts tax from qualifying school necessities and supplies available to purchase.

Starting Monday, items that are exempt during the holiday include:

  • Clothing, footwear, and accessories selling for $100 or less per item;

  • School supplies selling for $50 or less per item;

  • Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles with a sales price of $30 or less; and,

  • Personal computers and related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use with a sales price of $1,500 or less.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Back to school in Panama City: Where to get free backpacks, haircuts