Back-To-School Fair Offers Free Supplies

Harps Food Stores will join Altrusa International of Washington County Inc. in offering new backpacks, school supplies, haircuts and books at an annual free back-to-school resource fair.

The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at Prairie Grove Elementary School, 801 Viney Grove Road.

A free lunch and a vendor fair for parents is also included in the day’s activities. Vendors include the HIPPY program for early childhood education, Community Clinic, Life Ministries, Head Start and Bright Futures, an organization that helps to meet the needs of students.

Youngsters can participate in an Extreme Achievers activity course to win prizes, and they also may select a free book to take home to read. Door prizes will also be awarded during the event.

This is the seventh annual Parent Up event, said Kendall Smith, president of Altrusa International of Washington County. In the first six years, the group has given away more than 500 backpacks loaded with school supplies and more than 300 snack packs to children from Prairie Grove, Lincoln, Farmington, Greenland and West Fork. Volunteers have given more than 300 haircuts to youngsters as they prepared for the start of school.

“It is a pleasure to bring this event to children and their parents to help prepare for a new school year with supplies and fresh haircuts,” Smith said.

Children will also receive snack packs provided by Samaritan Community Center and parents will be offered free personal care products for their homes, Smith said.

Joining Harps in sponsoring the event are Altrusa International Foundation, United Bank, Arvest Bank, Bank of Fayetteville, First Security Bank, Ozarks Electric Cooperative, Ben E. Keith, Collier Drug Stores, Packaging Specialties, Samaritan Community Center, Jack Link’s and McDonald Eye Associates. Centennial Bank also provided financial support.

Altrusa International of Washington County Inc. is a local community service organization dedicated to organizing events to address needs in local communities.

For more information, contact Megan Lewis-Reed at 479-466-0232 or Rose Ann Pearce at 479-595-3031.