The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Second Baptist to hold Back to School Rally
An Elyria church is looking to help students walk into their first day of classes fully prepared to learn.
Second Baptist Church, 427 Chapman St. in Elyria, will hold a Back to School Rally from noon to 3 p.m., Aug. 17, at the church which will give school supplies to students from kindergarten to 12th grade.
Houston Love, president of the Second Baptist Church Adopt-a-School Initiative, said those who wish to participate must register so they should probably show up early.
“We’re targeting primarily the Lorain, Elyria schools and Clearview Schools,” Love said. “But if people come from around Lorain County, they won’t be turned away, but we’re looking at moderate- to low-income people.”
Love said the church has been holding this event since 2006 and this year, it’s partnering with the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office, which recently introduced a program where kindergarten through third grade students in the same three districts will receive book bags packed with supplies.
He said he’s reached out to administrators and city officials for each district and invited them to take part.
He said he only was able to leave a voicemail at Lorain City Schools.
“We’ll have some of the officials from the various cities speak and they’ll be welcoming (the students) back and telling them to have a great school year,” he said. “From there, we will give them a number and they will go into the sanctuary.”
In the sanctuary, Love said there will be food and surprise giveaways.
“It’s a pretty big affair,” he said. “We’re doing it just because we want to give back and we know that we as a 501c3 program, that we should be the change agents that give back to the community.
“And sometimes you can get other organizations to rally around a central theme and get them to partner with us,” Love continued. “We’re so thankful and grateful that that has happened and we look forward to partnering in other endeavors as we go along.”