Warden hosts 'Back to School' distribution
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Kids got school supplies, haircuts, hot dogs, popcorn and a welcome back to school at the first 'Back to School" distribution in Warden Friday.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin HeraldVolunteers gave kids a back-to-school haircut at the first 'Back to School' distribution in Warden Friday. Kids also received school supplies.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald School supplies, haircuts, popcorn, hot dogs, and a welcome back to school were part of the first 'Back to School' distribution in Warden Friday.
WARDEN — Kids got school supplies, haircuts, hot dogs and popcorn at the first “Back to School” distribution in Warden Friday.
Volunteers passed out crayons to kindergärtners, big notebooks - definitely not the little ones - to fifth-graders, and lots of school supplies to kids in every grade in between. Barbers provided haircuts to kids who’ve grown a little shaggy over the summer. School officials worked the popcorn machine, and volunteers grilled hot dogs for kids and families.
Parents and kids could look through donated clothes for the perfect back-to-school shirt.
Organizer Rick Garcia, pastor of the Warden Assembly church, said he used to be a pastor in Moses Lake and worked the “Back 2 School” distributions sponsored by Serve Moses Lake.
“So we said, hey, why don’t we do that in Warden?”
Garcia enlisted the help of school officials.
“He (Garcia) came up with the idea, and it was a great idea,” said district superintendent Dave LaBounty.
The school supplies and clothes were donated; the barbers donated their time, and volunteers ran the entire event. “A very grassroots effort,” LaBounty said.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.