Beech Tree News Network

Hundreds of children and their families lined up at the Charles Black City Park on Tuesday, July 29 to receive school supplies and items to help prepare them for the upcoming school year.

The annual Back to School Bash served 468 Butler County children. School supplies such as binders, folders, paper, notebooks, pencils and pencil pouches were handed out by the Youth Service Center and local companies and churches who also donated items for the event. Other items included socks, goodies and even laundry detergent for families to use.

Students signed in and gave their grades and school names to the workers and volunteers. Students were then given a bag to fill with the school supplies and any other items that could fit along with a ticket to get them a free meal and snow cone.

The Butler Counter Family Resource and Youth Services Center handed out the school supplies received from the Stuff the Bus Foundation and Stuff the Van events that were held earlier this month. All supplies that were donated as well as the funds that were received went towards supplies for the elementary, middle and high school students.

Some of the booths that were present included multiple churches: Cool Springs, Belmont Church, Holy Trinity Catholic Church and Temple Hill General Baptist. Others present included Three Corners Employment, Butler County Drug Free, Morgantown City Hall and Kentucky Farm Bureau. These booths contributed their own items and donations for the students. Members of the Butler County School Board as well as the Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce were also present to assist with the event.

A free meal was provided to students by the Morgantown Mission and included hot dogs, chips and a drink. Pelican’s SnoBalls were also at the event and provided free snow cones to students.

The Morgantown Mission Director was one of the many people present to help provide food for all of those in attendance. McKinney said the event has helped give supplies to people that may not otherwise be able to get things.

“There are a lot of families that struggle to buy the basic necessities, much less extras for school,” McKinney said. 

The Back to School Bash has aided in providing the necessary educational materials for community children for over 15 years and continues to serve as Butler County’s main way to get supplies to those who need them.