Sault locals raise money to support school supplies giveaway
SAULT STE. MARIE — Sault's local Verizon store is beginning its annual Backpacks 4 Kids giveaway event this Saturday, July 30.
Over the past couple of months, Sault residents and customers of the Verizon retailer on I-75 Business Spur have been giving donations of various sizes to help support local students in need of supplies.
A $5 donation is enough to support one student receiving a new backpack stocked with folders, pencils, notebooks and other basic school supplies.
"Some of the parents can't afford to get all these school supplies," said Verizon store manager Chris Lovins. "So this is a really nice chance for them to kind of get a head start on that."
This is part of a larger campaign taking place in Verizon stores all over Michigan and other states. The Sault Verizon retailer is owned by Team Wireless, a Verizon retailer company that owns 72 different Verizon locations in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.
Team Wireless stores participate in many charitable events throughout the year. One of those events is Backpacks 4 Kids, which takes place near the beginning of every school year and supplies hundreds of kids in many different communities with the tools they need for school.
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The funds are raised locally, from each individual store, and those funds are used to buy supplies in bulk. Team Wireless matches every donation received from local sources.
"We can still take donations year round, so if anybody is thinking about the kids and they want to donate, but the time has passed, they can still feel free to stop in and donate, they don't even have to be a Verizon customer," said Lovins.
Last year, the giveaway event supplied more than 250 Sault students with supplies.
The Verizon store began accepting donations in May and will continue to accept donations until the giveaway begins on Saturday.
The giveaway begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday and will continue every day until supplies run out.
"We've always got some sort of fundraiser going on, this one just happens to be one of the bigger ones we do," said Lovins. "Personally, it's one of my favorites."
Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@Sooeveningnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Local donations support school supply giveaway program
