Wanted: backpacks, calculators, pens and crayons

Even though it might seem like summer vacation just started, back-to-school supplies are already filling up store shelves, and the sight of crayons, notebooks and backpacks is no doubt striking dread in some students.

But for their parents, the price tags on those items can cause even more fear, especially for families who are already strapped for cash.

For that reason, the United Way of Goodhue, Wabasha & Pierce Counties kicked off its annual school supply drive earlier this month.

“It’s spendy,” United Way’s Tonya Roth said of school shopping. ”It could be anywhere from $40 to $70 (per child), and if you have multiple kids, it adds up.”

The supply drive is in its fourth or fifth year, Roth said. Like in past years, the United Way reached out to local schools, asking if they would like to have supplies collected for them.

“We’ve never had a school say, ‘No, we don’t need help with that,’” Roth said.

From there, the United Way worked with area businesses, asking them to serve as drop-off sites for the supplies. Some businesses are also asking their employees and customers to collect supplies for specific schools.

Items needed include the basics, such as folders, notebooks, pens and crayons, Roth said. However, items such as backpacks, scientific calculators and tennis shoes for gym are often overlooked by donors, but are still needed.

Roth added that they don’t accept used items, and asked donors not to buy items that are not specifically listed on the teachers’ supply lists, which can be found on the United Way’s website.

“The things on the lists are the things the teachers say they need,” she said.

The supply drive officially runs through Aug. 15.

“But we would take things after that as well,” Roth said.

Drop-off locations

Red Wing

• Associated Bank (collecting for Kids Count Program and Sunnyside Elementary)

• Bic (collecting for Burnside Elementary)

• Red Wing Shoe Factory (collecting for Prairie View Elementary and Lindgren Early Learning Center)

• Mayo Clinic (collecting for Sunshine Corner Preschool)

• United Way office

• The Auto Finance Center

• Hydra Tight

• Patterson Chiropractic

Lake City

• Hearth and Home (collecting for Lake City middle and high schools)

Zumbrota

• Wild Ginger (collecting for Mazeppa Schools)

Cannon Falls

• White Rock Bank (collecting for Wastedo School)

Wabasha

• Eagle’s Nest Coffee House (collecting for Wabasha-Kellogg Schools)

Goodhue

• White Rock Bank (collecting Goodhue Schools)

Checks made out to the United Way will also be accepted. They should be marked “school supply drive” in the memo line.

For more information, visit www.uw-gwp.org.

Tags: red wing, goodhue county, news, minnesota, education, social