By Bob Loring
Projects of Pasco proudly announces our successful distribution of school supplies to 627 poverty bound children representing 268 fully registered families. Each of these precious children, also served by Toys for Tots of East Pasco, received a new book bag overflowing with recommended supplies of paper, pencils, note books and other essential school related items.
Our distribution was held in the cafeteria at Wesley Chapel Elementary school. The school supplies were donated by our caring community and were distributed by a host of cheerful volunteers. Many of these outstanding volunteers also assist our program during our Toys for Tots Christmas toy distribution.
Some of our major donors and supporters include, The Marine Corps League, Pasco County Builders Assoc., Operation Unwrap a Smile, Verizon, Wachovia Bank, Family Dollar Store, Metro Storage, Wesley Chapel Toyota, Sweet Bay Supermarket, San Antonio & Wesley Chapel Rotary Clubs, K-Mart, The City of Zephyrhills, Smokehouse Creek Rodeo Arena, Dollar General, and Dollar Tree. We were also aided by Sue Hilton, several Pasco County Sheriffs Deputies, many caring adults and school aged students, including Wesley Chapel High School Cheerleaders. Additionally, we were thrilled while sorting the collected supplies when our District 61 State Representative, Will Weatherford, dropped in to wish us well. A great deal of credit for this year’s successful distribution goes to Mrs. Anna Fulk. Anna is the founder of the Projects of Pasco, a new local non-profit corporation. She is a gifted organizer, and did an outstanding job of coordinating this year’s awe-inspiring event.
After three years experience conducting our school supply distribution, an off shoot of Toys for Tots of Pasco, we have learned much. We now have a firm understanding of the process, and a proven “distribution model” to offer to other interested communities that might seek to replicate our efforts. Next year, with the support of key community residents, we hope to expand our operations to include additional school supply distributions for Dade City, Zephyrhills, and Land O Lakes.
We sincerely wish to thank all our many community donors, our volunteers, and our benefactors. Together, we shall seek to “level the playing field” for Pasco children living in the bitter clutches of abject poverty.
“God Bless” one and all! And he’s hoping that our community’s poverty bound children have a very successful school year!
