Drive seeks supplies for school kids

Sisters area residents can help school kids start the year fully supplied for class through the region-wide Tools for Schools donation drive. The drop site in Sisters is at Les Schwab Taylor Tire Center.

Throughout Central Oregon, many needy children face each new school year without the resources to buy many basic school supplies.

It was this realization that prompted John Gross, owner of Gross Communications Corporation (103 KSJJ and Magic 100.7 in Bend), to come up with the Tools For Schools program.

Brian Canady, regional manager for GCC, affirms that, "It's been a team effort. It was John's brain child, and I have the most visible (job) doing the running around and the executing of it.

"We recognized that there is a significant lack of material in our schools," he continued. "I don't have kids, but I saw that schools listed their needs. When I was in school, these things were provided for students. Now, it's the parent's responsibility to provide these basic educational supplies, and not everyone can."

According to Canady, the communities are stepping up.

"The response so far has been very positive," he said. "We've partnered with several Central Oregon businesses to set up drop centers where people can stop in to make donations of school supplies."

Basic school supplies are needed like: notebooks, binders, paper, pencils, paper, scissors, glue. The drive started August 6 and Tools for Schools will end this weekend.

"We will pick up the supplies, and then the Family Access Network (FAN) will distribute them so kids can start school with adequate supplies," Canaday said.

Theresa Slavkovsky, the FAN director for Sisters noted, "there is a need here is Sisters to help families with school supplies. But the last time I checked the drop center, it was pretty empty."

In all, five Les Schwab Tire Centers and three Mid-Oregon Federal Credit Union locations are serving as drop centers in Central Oregon. Donations made at each drop center go to the local schools.

Canady was optimistic about the future of Tools for Schools.

"I hope this grows every year. It's not as big this year as it could be, because we just came up with the idea in July. Next year, we hope to be able to provide school supplies for far more people. We see it as an ongoing event, not a one-time occurrence."

Les Schwab Taylor Tire Center is located at the west end of town between Hood Avenue and Highway 242.