By LOIS KINDLE
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office community service deputies, Jeff Merry and Efrain Taveras, have kicked off the agency’s sixth annual school supply drive for the Wimauma Boys & Girls Club, and 122 at-risk children need your help.
“These are kids who wouldn’t have a pencil when they return to school if we didn’t do this,” Merry said. “We partner with the Sun City Center Emergency Squad and the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center to ensure this doesn’t happen.
“It’s a good project,” he continued. “It helps children, and they’re our future.”
Taveras, who is regularly stationed at the Wimauma Boys & Girls Club, agreed.
“We’ve built a good relationship with the Spanish-speaking community over the years,” he said, noting the children and their parents have grown to see law enforcement more positively. “This project is one of the ways we’ve done that, and it’s amazing how area residents help by generously supporting it to help our kids.”
The event also supports classroom teachers who often have to assist their students by buying supplies out of their own pockets.
This year’s collection drive is under way and will continue through July 28. As in years past, donations from the community are essential.
The supplies most needed are backpacks (for both boys and girls); notebooks; sticky notes; pens and sharpies; blunt-tip scissors; colored chalk and pencils; lined paper; staplers; clipboards; construction paper; Crayons; Elmer’s glue sticks; white glue; highlighters; three-ring binders; plastic pencil boxes; No. 2 pencils and sharpeners; cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer and hand soap; pocket folders with prongs; tissue boxes; whiteboard markers; pencils and sharpeners; index cards; pencil pouches/cases; white copy paper; and reusable water bottles.
Donations should be dropped off between now and July 25 at either of the following locations: the Sun City Center Emergency Squad, 720 Ray Watson Drive, or the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center, 1971 Haverford Ave.
All donations, including those left at the church, will be sorted and boxed by emergency squad volunteer, Sheila Hoolihan.
“We’re a community based organization – always have been, always will be,” said Mike Bardell, the squad’s chief. “We think this is a great effort, and we’re happy to be involved. It’s much needed.”
Merry will deliver the sorted and boxed items to Bethune Park, where they’ll be stuffed into donated backpacks and those collected by HCSO deputies. The tentative date for the annual backpack giveaway at Wimauma Boys & Girls Club is Tuesday, Aug. 8.
The low-income and/or migrant families of the kids who receive them mostly can’t afford to help their children.
“It’s really beneficial for them to start the school year off on the right foot,” said Crystal Galicia, club director. “And it’s a big weight off their parents’ shoulders to have the help.”
Galicia said the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is bringing its ice cream truck to the Aug. 8 event.
For more information, call 813-242-5515.