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Party provides kids with tools for return to school
By Greg Cima
gcima@pantagraph.com
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NORMAL — Rakeena Morrison said the pink and gray backpack was even her favorite color. “I love school and I love this book bag,” the 9-year-old said. She, her 11-year-old brother Rashaun, and her 9-year-old friend Cameron Hayes danced while wearing their new backpacks.

And they were among hundreds given new backpacks containing school supplies Thursday evening at the Back to School Party in the Horton Field House indoor sports facility at Illinois State University.

Kathy Johnson, program coordinator for the University of Illinois Extension in McLean County, said the annual event is aimed at getting children excited about going to school.

The new backpacks are incentives for parents to register their children for school on time and have them immunized. They have to show proof of both to get the gifts, she said.

Children and adults lined up outside each of the three entrances opened for the event. And about 120 volunteers were expected to staff the two-hour event, Johnson said.

More than 700 backpacks were purcased for the event at a total cost of $6,100, she said. The program is aimed at helping low-income families but it is open to any McLean County students, Johnson said.

Kaysie Winters, 3, of Normal, smiled and her braids bobbed as she showed off her backpack, a pink and purple bag bearing a picture of the fairy Tinkerbell. Her mother, Beulaa, said the event is a blessing, and she noted she is a single mother.

“I’m glad they have a program like this to help us,” Beulaa Winters said.

Kaysie will turn 4 by the time she goes back to school and enters her second year of pre-kindergarten, her mother said.

Volunteers also manned information tables for organizations such as the YWCA, The Salvation Army and Jumpstart. Johnson said those tables and volunteers help identify services available to parents and students throughout the school year.

Laurel Strave, a member of Achievement Matters, said the event was one of the first for the local achievement gap task force. She handed out bags with information, while others filled and handed out bags of popcorn.

State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, handed educational coloring books to passing children. He said the event was not only “an opportunity to see the need in the community, but also how it’s being filled.”

Enya Hastings, of Bloomington, said she has volunteered all five years of the event. She has a son attending University High School, she was born and raised in the community, and she wants to give back to the community, she said.

“It’s all for the kids,” Hastings said.

The event was hosted by the University of Illinois Extension, State Farm Insurance Cos., Illinois State University, Country Insurance & Financial Services, CEFCU, Interstate Theatres II and other volunteers.

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Reader comments on this story - 4 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Mac Daddy wrote on Aug 17, 2007 10:08 AM:

" I am thankful for the people who have helped the families truly in need. Sometimes people lose their jobs and have problems getting back on their feet. This event was designed to help them and be a positive experience for the kids and to provide the basic tools the kids need to succeed in school. Based on the smiles I saw, I would say that it was appreciated. "

To i want to thank wrote on Aug 17, 2007 9:02 AM:

" ever consider disconnecting your Internet connection and route that expense to buy school supplies for all those kids you had? The article states this party is aimed at low-income families as an incentive to get parents to register their kids for school on time and have them immunized. A less enabling incentive would be to hold back their food stamps, free school lunches, free medical care, etc. Bet that'd get them to registration on time! Five kids are expensive. If you can't afford them, you should figure out how to stop getting pregnant! "

Taxman wrote on Aug 17, 2007 8:31 AM:

" I help out everytime I pay my property taxes so that they can go to school at virtually no cost to their mothers. Notice I didn't mention the fathers. I will be surpirsed if the Pantagraph posts this since it goes south of the feel good story of the day. "

i want to thank.. wrote on Aug 17, 2007 12:13 AM:

" everyone for the help they gave my 5 children.w/o their help of new backpacks and supplies i just dont know how i would have been able to do it this year.this a great event that shows how much mclean county and the people of this great county care for all of us. "
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