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Published: Monday, Jul. 09, 2012 / Updated: Friday, Jul. 06, 2012 05:20 PM

Help supply tools for students at Clover schools

CLOVER -- 

Following the holiday fireworks shows, it’s now time to launch school supply collections.

The Herald and its community publications, including Lake Wylie Pilot, Enquirer-Herald and Fort Mill Times, are partnering with the four York County school districts to promote a school supplies collection drive to ensure students in need have the materials to be prepared for classes when school starts.

Clover School District spokesman Mychal Frost said just like the ongoing backpack and food pantry program that so far this summer has helped 79 families each month, the school wants to be ready to help with supplies when school starts Aug. 22.

“Both are crucially important . We want to make sure students are both fed and well prepared because without those items the kids are already behind their first day of school,” Frost said. “We try to do what we can to help provide what students need academically and nutritionally.”

Marguerite Brown-Canty, district attendance officer at Clover School District, said the district already is serving five to six families a day with school supplies.

“We have a pretty steady of families coming in,” she said.

School supply donations will be accepted at the district administrative office on Bethel Road.

There is a list of needed supplies, “but anything is appreciated,” Brown-Canty said.

“The list is truly the basic necessities and just a snapshot of what they need,” Frost said, “but it’s a step in the right direction.”

Along with the school supplies, the district is partnering with York Christian Chamber of Commerce for Shoes for Hope drive. A Samaritan’s Feet initiative, their goal, according to the group’s website, is to equip the feet of 10 million impoverished children with 10 million pairs of shoes over the next 10 years.

“This will be the third year we’ve participated, and Samaritan’s Feet provide the shoes,” Brown-Canty said.

Last year, more than 200 students were served through the outreach program.

“Of course, any support would certainly be appreciated,” she said, explaining a $10 donation made out to York Christian Chamber will provide a pair of shoes for one child.

Along with donations, the district needs volunteers from 8:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 4 to help distribute the shoes and school supplies.

“We very much need volunteers,” she said. “We certainly will benefit from any support the community can give us.”

In return, the students and its community will benefit.

“It’s about preparing students in the beginning of school year, so they’ll be ready and hopefully, be successful,” Brown-Canty said.

Frost said families in need must let them know “or we won’t know to help them.”

“We want to be in a position to support them, so when someone expresses a need, we have the materials,” Frost said. “We’re doing all we can to help where we know there are needs.”

Want to help?

Donations of school supplies are being accepted at Clover School District Administrative Office, 604 Bethel St., Clover, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more information, call 803-810-8000.

Suggested items are: book bags, three-ring binders, colored pencils, pencils, pens, markers, highlighters, notebook paper, composition notebooks, colored folders with prongs and pockets, erasers, index cards, sheet protectors, crayons, insertable plastic dividers, USB drives, dry erase markers, Kleenex and hand sanitizers.

Volunteers are needed for distribution of school supplies and the Shoes of Hope initiative from 8:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 4 at First Baptist Church,117 S. Main St., Clover.