Editor:

The Copper Country Angel Mission and The Salvation Army would like to thank all the groups, businesses, and people who contributed to the Stuff the Bus School Backpack Program. With the community’s tremendous support 420 preschool through high school backpacks were filled with age appropriate school supplies and hygiene items for students who were registered for the program. Also as part of the program parents were given a chance to select new socks and underwear for their children.

We want to especially thank the Walmart Corporation for their Sparks Program generous grant which funded a large amount of the items needed for the backpacks. Also thank you to the Youth Advisory Council of the Keweenaw Community Foundation for their grant which provided funding for purchasing school backpacks for middle school and high school age students. Thank you to the Downwind Sports and Rhythm Bike Shops for selling us water bottles at a reduced price. A special thanks to Copper Country Dentistry, Sarazin’s Dental Office, and Upper Great Lakes Health for providing toothbrushes and toothpaste for all the school backpacks. Also thanks to Certified Financial Planner, Greg Seppanen who donated money to purchase scientific calculators.

We appreciate the following places that allowed us to have donations boxes at their locations:

Bethany Lutheran Church, Evangel Community Church, Faith Lutheran Church, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Grace Methodist Church, Hancock First Methodist Church, Laurium Shining Light Church, Portage Lake United Church, Saints Peter and Paul Lutheran Church, Shepherd of Sea, Auto Pro Glass and Tire, and Walmart of Houghton.

Thank you to the places that had collection cans for monetary donations: Allouez BP, Auto Pro Glass and Tire, Bucko’s Party Store, Calumet BP, Campioni’s Hardware, Circle K Hancock, DeMars Party, Harter’s Party Store, Jim’s Pizza, Keweenaw Gas Coop, Krist of Hancock and Houghton, Lake’s Lounge/ Legion, Mohawk Superette, Phoenix Store, and Toni’s country Kitchen.

We especially want to thank the numerous community members who purchased items from the Walmart Store on August 1 and 2 when we had a school bus next to store advertising the Stuff the Bus School Backpack Program and for all the other community members who donated school supplies and made monetary donations for the program. The Copper Country Angel Mission and The Salvation Army really appreciate all the support they receive from the Community.

Stuff the Bus School Backpack Program Committee

Lois Jambekar, one of the coordinators