By Andrew Martins
Staff Writer
PLUMSTED – The members of the New Egypt MOMS Club want to make certain every child in the community has all the supplies he or she needs to start the new school year.
From now through Aug. 20, the club is conducting its annual “Pack the Sack” drive to collect school supplies. Items that are donated by members of the community will be given to youngsters who otherwise might not have everything they need to begin a new school year.
MOMS Club President Jessica Neyenhouse said, “If children are not prepared and do not have the things they need, they will not be as successful in school. With this drive, we are hoping to start them off right by giving them a chance to start with everything they can possibly need.”
Last year the MOMS Club collected enough supplies to fill about 70 backpacks that were presented to students who attend all four schools in the Plumsted Township School District.
Neyenhouse said the MOMS Club coordinates its annual supply drive with the school district.
“The school district gives us a list of children by grade who need our help and we keep that information confidential,” she said. “The school district also tells us what students in each grade need and we put together bags for those grades. That way a high school student will not get a pack of crayons he won’t need.”
The MOMS Club is asking for the following items to be donated: backpacks, mechanical pencils, No. 2 pencils, blue pens, black pens, highlighters, markers, colored pencils, pencil sharpeners, pencil boxes, 24-count crayon packs, two-pocket folders, index cards, block erasers, children’s scissors, bottles of glue and glue sticks.
Also needed are mini staplers, staples, tape, protractors, rulers, TI-34 II scientific calculators, 1-inch three-ring binders, looseleaf paper, pocket dividers, single-subject and multi-subject notebooks, composition notebooks, self-stick notes, tissues, smocks, book covers and headphones or ear buds.
Neyenhouse said monetary donations are accepted and will be used to purchase additional school supplies that are needed in the drive.
School supplies may be dropped off until Aug. 20 at the Plumsted Library, Evergreen Road; the New Egypt Post Office, North Main Street; the New Egypt Marketplace, Main Street; the Plumsted Pharmacy, Brindletown Road; and Salon Bliss, Route 539. For additional information, email newegyptmoms@gmail.com
