Community Services offers Back to School Fair
TOM PINNEY/DAILY FORUM
Jeff Von Behren with the Maryville Host Lions Club jots down some results of a hearing screening during the Back to School Fair at Maryville Middle School Tuesday afternoon. This is the first year since 2010 the Host Lions have been present at the fair to offer free vision and hearing screenings.
As school inches closer, families in need were given an opportunity Tuesday to acquire some school supplies and a few other back-to-school necessities at no cost.
Community Services, Inc. hosted the annual fair at the Maryville Middle School Tuesday afternoon. Nodaway County outreach director Cathy Rybolt said the annual fair was open to kids from low-income families around the county.
“We had about 135 kids pre-register for the event this year,” Rybolt said. “The kids come in and receive a backpack and basic school supplies.
“This year, we were also able to give Christmas in July to all students who were registered, thanks to several donations. Everyone received an outfit and a pair of shoes for the first day of school.”
Area churches sponsor most of the area children for the Christmas in July gift. This year, the Maryville Host Lions footed the bill for the rest of the children to guarantee everyone received an outfit.
In addition, this was the first time since 2010 that the Lions were present at the fair to offer vision and hearing screenings. Further, this was the first year that all students were given a hygiene kit.
“The hygiene kits have things like shampoo, body wash, a brush, a comb, a toothbrush, and toothpaste,” Rybolt said. “The girls’ kits have feminine hygiene products, and the boys’ kits include a razor and shaving cream.”
Thanks to a couple of timely business promotions, some children also received a second pair of shoes.
“When Payless ShoeSource went out of business, they contacted us and told us they’d sell us the rest of what they had for $1 each,” Rybolt said. “On top of that, Walmart contacted us when they marked down the prices of some of their shoes so that we could come in and buy some at a lesser price to give away. As a result, we are giving kids a second pair of shoes if we have a second pair in their size.”
School supplies weren’t the only things available at the fair. United Electric Cooperative sent Bruce Baker to the fair to give his model demonstration on power line safety, SSM Health St. Francis Hospital was on hand with boxes of Kleenex tissue wipes, and the Maryville Public Library was present to sign kids up for the new Kid’s Cards.
Other booths at the fair included Maryville Public Safety, the Nodaway County Health Department, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Boy Scouts of America.
TOM PINNEY/DAILY FORUM
United Electric Cooperative’s Bruce Baker shows a brief presentation Tuesday afternoon on power line safety during the Back to School Fair at Maryville Middle School. The fair has been going on for more than a decade, giving basic school supplies to students from low-income families throughout the county.