Stuff the Bus wish list
1. Blankets, Stuffed Animals
2. Office supplies: copy paper, pens, tape, folders and binders, envelopes, highlighters, white-out, legal pads, staples and paper clips, etc.
3. Household items: paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, facial tissue, etc.
4. Art/craft supplies: crayons, markers, construction paper, glue, child and adult scissors, glitter, acrylic paint, watercolors, poster board, stickers. Disposable dining ware: cups, paper or Styrofoam plates, paper napkins
5. Toys: infant/toddler toys, preschool and school-age toys/games
6. Baby supplies: diapers, wipes
7. Travel size toiletries: soap, deodorant, cotton swabs, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, etc.
8. New hygiene items: brushes, combs, toothbrushes
9. Non-perishable snacks: drink boxes/juice packs, cracker packs, Goldfish, fruit snacks
10. Regular ground coffee
11. Roller pads (for paint rollers), painters tape, brooms, dustpans, gardening gloves, canvas drop cloths.
12. Non perishable food and boys teen clothing
13. Skeins of yarn
Agencies in Barton and Pawnee counties serving those in need sometimes need more than just money.
To this end, United Way of Central Kansas will hold its second “Stuff the Bus” campaign from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Wal-Mart parking lot, 3503 10th in Great Bend. A Unified School District 428 school bus will be filled with school supplies, baby care items, non-perishable foods, and other goods, said Julie Bugner-Smith, UWCK executive director.
“The premise of Stuff the Bus is to load a school bus with items our 21 member agencies need to serve the community,” Smith said. “The United Way, partnering with Unified School District 428, wants the community to provide much needed items for our 21 agencies.”
The 2013 United Way campaign opened Saturday night with the kick-off event dubbed “Peace, Love and United Way.” It set the tone of the drive which has a goal of $235,000.
But, “these agencies need more than just money, they need supplies,” Smith said. Sometimes, she said, people can’t give money and the Stuff the Bus gives them a chance to help.
“Our goal is to fill the bus,” she said. “If everyone works together, we’ll be able to ‘stuff the bus’ with stuff our agencies need to help support the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Now, she is challenging school clubs and sports teams, local businesses and civic organizations to pitch in and help. These groups can contribute money or items for the effort.
“Let’s fill that bus,” she said.
In addition, there will be a cardboard “school bus” set up in the lobby of the Sunflower Bank in Ellinwood. Supplies can be dropped of there so they can be delivered to the Great Bend location.
What’s more, UWCK will work with USD 495 in Larned to hold a Stuff the Bus from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6 in the parking lot of the Pamida Store, 908 E. 14th St. Smith said the Larned goal is the same.
For more information or to volunteer, call Bugner-Smith at 620-792-2403 or go to uwck.org.
