Stuff the Bus to benefit over 20 school districts

Salvation Army and United Way are joining forces to host the fifth annual multi-location Stuff the Bus event at 10 Walmart sites in Southeast Missouri on Saturday to benefit more than 20 school districts.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, United Way of Southeast Missouri community relations manager Kristin Funderburk said the event is usually scheduled around the same time each year to coincide with the start of school. The time frame also typically aligns with Missouri's tax-free shopping weekend, she added.

The scheduling of the event helps a lot of parents who must purchase school supplies, Funderburk said, but it also is an added benefit if individuals wish to donate, without having to pay "that little bit extra."

For the Cape Girardeau School District, Funderburk said, Wednesday was the "big day" at Central Junior High School Field House for families wishing to register to receive assistance with school supplies, but individuals can still contact the Salvation Army to register.

But from there, Funderburk said, it's up to the discretion of each district to determine which students receive the supplies.

"Jackson, Scott City, Kennett, Malden, all of them, we encourage them to call their district office," she said.

Funderburk said there is no way to accurately determine how many individuals are helped by the event from year to year, but says "we know there are typically 1,000 families who need the services."

Walmarts in Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Farmington, Fredericktown, Jackson, Kennett, Malden, Perryville, Poplar Bluff and Sikeston are participating in Stuff the Bus, which Funderburk said has grown in recent years.

She said Cape Girardeau Walmart store manager Gary Elders "has done a phenomenal job" of reaching out and gathering contacts needed to make the event a success. Funderburk also said 20 volunteers would be stationed at each Walmart location Saturday to help with the campaign, with many of them being school faculty and students.

"At the Cape location you'll see Kelly cheerleaders, the Cape band and a few others that come out to rally around it, as well," she said.

Commonly requested school supplies

• single-subject notebooks
• mechanical pencils
• 2-pocket folders
• ink pens
• bottled school glue
• scissors,
• 24-count Crayola Crayons
• loose-leaf paper
• pink erasers
• glue sticks