UPDATE:

A total of 3,352 school supply items were donated Saturday along $668.50 in donations.

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Purchasing necessary school supplies can be a challenge for many. In Geary County for a ninth year United Way is coordinating the Stuff the Bus effort to obtain those supplies.

The Director of the local United Way, Nicole Mahder, said they’re hoping to bring in 10,000 items. “Last year we just brought in just over $9,000, always got to step it up a notch, so this year our goal is 10,000 items and at least $1,500 in cash donations.”

JC Transportation provided a bus at the Walmart Supercenter on East Chestnut Street Saturday. Volunteers worked at that site, and at Dillons on 6th Street for about six hours to collect the donation of supplies. Mahder said when you come to Walmart or Dillons you’ll be given a flyer containing a list of items needed. “You get a list, you can go in Walmart, go in Dillons, get items off of the list, bring it out give it to one of our locations or if it’s not when we’re here we’re still going to have drop-off locations.”

You can also bring school supplies at the United Way Office at 139 East 8th Street from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, or at business drop-off sites including KS State Bank, Central National Bank, Sunflower Bank, Landmark National Bank, Exchange Bank, Intrust Bank or at Geary Community Hospital.

The supplies will be distributed to students in Geary USD 475, at Saint Xavier and the Immanuel Lutheran Early Childhood preschool site.

On Saturday more than 25 volunteers helped with the collection at the Walmart site, and at Dillons every two hours there were shifts of six people that volunteered to provide help. Mahder noted by mid-day Saturday that the first collection day had already gotten off to an amazing start with boxes filled with school supplies.

The collection will continue Saturday, July 21st at the Walmart on East Chestnut, and on Saturday July 28th at both that Walmart location and at Dillons.