TD Kiwanis literally stuff the bus in school supply drive

The Dalles Kiwanian Helen Elsmore on a school bus stuffed with supplies. Elsmore organized the project that netted 4.343 pencils and more.

By Karl Vercouteren

The Dalles Kiwanis Club celebrated its second annual “Stuff-the-Bus” project. The three-day event in late August produced enough school supplies to literally fill a bus on loan from the local school district.

Kiwanian Helen Elsmore organized the project and reports donations of 4343 pencils, 540 erasers, 1874 glue sticks, 669 composition books, 695 packs of filler paper, 706 spiral notebooks, and 275 ring binders.

Also 319 scissors, 60 sports backpacks, 271 highlighters, 414 Post-It-Notes, 743 two-pocket folders, and 439 24-pack crayons.

Elsmore acknowledges major help from Staples where the bus was located. Corporate donations were received from Northwest Natural Gas, Meadow Outdoor Advertising, and Home Depot. Major gifts from Kiwanis members amounted to $2,000 and smaller amounts were received from club members and the general public. The local Rotary Club donated $300.

Donated funds were used to purchase supplies. All items collected and any money left over is administered by the schools to furnish additional supplies to local school children.

Kiwanis clubs around the world engage in school supply collections. Elsmore borrowed the “Stuff-the-Bus” approach from another club in the organization’s Pacific Northwest District, and thanks to members of the local club for adopting the project, donating supplies and money, and taking turns to staff the bus.

Helen Elsmore