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Stuff the Bus brings in needed items
Support fills gaps for UWCK member agencies
new deh stuff the bus update web
Dianne Call, one of the United Way of Central Kansass Stuff the Bus campaign, takes time out from helping with the event last week. The annual drive collects items for UWCK agencies. - photo by COURTESY PHOTO

 The seventh-annual United Way of Central Kansas Stuff the Bus campaign brought in hundreds of needed items for the 23 agencies supported by the UWCK, Executive Director Gaila Demel said. The event took place Aug. 15 and 16 in Ellinwood, Hoisington, Great Bend and Larned.

“The United Way of Central Kansas would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to all those who participated in our Stuff the Bus event last week,” Demel said. “Thanks to your generous donations, items were collected ranging from school supplies for Salvation Army and Central Kansas CASA to hygiene supplies for Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas and Family Crisis Center.”

They also collected food for the Hoisington Food Bank, paper goods for the Ellinwood Senior Heritage Center and home improvement items for Habitat for Humanity. 

“These are much needed items that each and every agency puts to good use within their organizations,” Demel said. She thanked the sponsors in all four communities. 

Drop-off points were set up at: Town and Country Supermarket, Clara Barton Hospital and Dairy Queen in Hoisington; Wolf Park in Ellinwood in conjunction with the farmers’ market; both Dillons stores and Wal-Mart in Great; Bend and Dillons and Shopko in Larned. 

“We also had fantastic support from more than three dozen volunteers from our Community Partners, RSVP/VIA volunteers, the Great Bend High School volleyball team, and the Great Bend High School Football team.

This event seven years ago in Great Bend and has expanded to the other communities in the years since. Itis coordinated by Dianne Call in Great Bend, with the help of Kay Wilbur, by Tama Hanson in Larned, Becca Maxwell with the help of Nancy Baird in Ellinwood, and Jan Morgenstern and Toni Schneweis in Hoisington. 

“These individuals are the ones who make this event so successful each year and we are grateful for the hard work and dedication that they have for United Way and all our community Partners,” Demel said. “By making these donations, you help to alleviate the financial strain on these agencies so that their time, energy, and money can go to making our community stronger by providing much needed services.”