Pilot Point ISD families in need of school supplies will have the chance to grab a backpack per student filled with school supply kits at Pilot Point's first Back to School Bash on Saturday.
The plan for the event started with Chief Angela Mathews of the Pilot Point Police Department, who had experience with similar events in her previous communities.
'I am so super excited about this event because the community has come together in a huge way,' Mathews said. '… You know how great this community is. They want to help.'
When she found out Pilot Point had school supply drives but no centralized event, Mathews started working with the leaders of Pilot Point ISD, the Pilot Point ISD Police Department, the Pilot Point Educational Foundation and the Pilot Point Chamber of Commerce to make the event become a reality.
She also acknowledged Chamber Executive Director Evon Lusk and PPEF President Lee Ann Ray as being instrumental in the success of the upcoming event.
The initial goal was for 750 backpacks filled with school supply kits.
The reality is there will be 768 instead.
'I think there's definitely a need for it for the kids, because there's so many that can't afford stuff in these times, because times are tough right now,' Ray said.
Because of the foundation's involvement, the purchases of backpacks and school supply kits were able to happen in bulk and through a nonprofit, so the monetary donations stretched more.
'Evon did most of the calling to get donations, and the foundation was the bank for the money,' Ray said. '… Individually, it wouldn't have [gone] as far.
Lusk said that getting those donations was a great process because of the generosity of the Chamber members.
'We have business owners that only want to sponsor school-related events or anything to do with students or education or poverty and all of that,' Lusk said. 'So this was a really great sponsorship opportunity for them, and a unique one at that.'
To collect a backpack on a first-come-first-served basis, families will work with district staff to demonstrate that they are registered for school in Pilot Point ISD.
They will then be given their backpack and supplies until there are no more available to give.
'We're trying to help them get prepared and ready for school and make it easy for parents to be able to get some school supplies, get [the kids'] hair cut and be prepped and ready for school come Monday,' Mathews said.
So far, Brittney McKinney, Cassye Jezek with Purple Door, Kelly Tingle with Doll House and Nathan Smith with Coyote Salon and Boutique have promised their services for free.
'That takes that burden off of the parents again, for a haircut,' Ray said. '… And, it's Pilot Point. It's a giving town.'
There will also be a bounce house in addition to events by Main Event and displays by both the Pilot Point Police Department and the Pilot Point Fire Department, as well as food trucks and a few vendor booths.
There will also be a limited number of bikes available for the kids to take home at the start of the event.
'We don't have as many bicycles to say first-come, first-served,' Mathews said. 'We're just going to do a giveaway, so as people are coming in, they'll get tickets and then we'll draw, and that's how we're going to give the bikes away.'
Lusk, who experienced poverty and instability in her childhood, is grateful for the chance to help kids who might not otherwise have the resources they need for the new school year.
'To receive help is everything,' she said. 'It shows that not only our community, not only our PPISD, not only the Pilot Point Police Department, it's all of us. We are showing that we are together in supporting the education and the future of Pilot Point.'
Executive Director of Administrative Services and Operations Dr. Brant Perry echoed that gratitude.
'We're excited for the kids that might not have,' he said. 'That everyone can come to school on Day 1 with a backpack … for them to come prepared on Day 1, ready to learn and feeling good about themselves.'
PPISDPD Chief Eric Dortch said it makes him so happy to see the support of the community members.
'We've got the same purpose, and that's to take care of the kids here in Pilot Point,' he said.
The organizers wanted to make the organization have the biggest impact it could on the community.
'We would love to supply the entire school district, but we know that there's just no way we would be able to do that, so I think with everyone coming together the way that they did, we were able to kind of meet the goal that we had in mind, and so we're going to try to help as many people as we possibly can,' Mathews said.
She also wants to keep growing the event year after year.
'We've got to hit a higher goal next year,' Mathews said. '… Our kids are important.'
Chief Angela Mathews of the Pilot Point Police Department removes the first of two bicycles that she is adding to the donations set to be distributed at Saturday’s Back to School Bash.
Abigail Allen/ The Post-Signal
