Salvation Army donates school supplies

Salvation Army Captain Carl Melton and Jerry Williams, director of community relations, brought three pallets of school supplies to city hall on Monday, July 29, at 2 p.m.

The ladies who created and promoted this program, Amanda Hawley-Causey, Deborah Cannon, Jenna Winborne and Tonsheka Wilson, are overjoyed with the donations they have received during the three week campaign to collect school supplies for needy children in the area.  When the Salvation Army arrived with three pallets of school supplies, they were overwhelmed with emotion at the amount of items donated.

Williams said, “I happened to see the flyer and spoke with the captain to help the ladies collecting school supplies for children in need.”  The Salvation Army provided pencils, pens, erasers, paper, color pencils and more items requested by the ladies to help fill the book bags with the supplies. Although they provide the supplies necessary for the beginning of the school year, they are unable to give book bags.  Kenya Wright said, “We had a donation of 75 book bags in all colors for the ladies to fill with pencils, paper and other listed items.” 

The Salvation Army collects school supplies nationally each year at Walmart stores.  Captain Melton said, “Nine Walmart stores in Horry County have teamed up with the Salvation Army to place our boxes in the stores to collect school supplies.” Through their program, Operation School Supplies, they will collect pencils, pens, paper, notebooks, backpacks and other items listed on the Horry County School District supply list.  In 2018 this program assisted 205 children with a backpack filled with the necessary items to begin the school year with.

This program helps a child feel confident having not only the supplies they require to attend school, but to have a new book bag and brand new pencils and paper.  This program saves a child the embarrassment of feeling inadequate as their parents are unable to afford the required supplies.

Hawley-Causey said, “We don’t want to be the center of attention, this is a group effort, and we are doing this for the children, not for the recognition for ourselves”.  Wilson, Cannon, Winborne and Wright all agreed with her statement.  This is for the children.  They want to meet the 150 book bags filled with school supplies; they are 75 book bags shy of reaching their goal.  Also, they are still in need of more ear buds for the computer classes the students will need.

Captain Melton learned of the loss of a city employee. He offered a prayer where the employees formed a circle holding hands. The funeral for city employee Anthony Melvin will be at 12 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, at Loris High School.

The book bags filled with supplies will be given out on Saturday, August 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  For more information contact Wilson (toneal@sccoast.net) or Hawely-Causey (ahawley@sccoast.net).