Time was, as September neared, parents with school-aged children began back-to-school shopping. Supplies for each child varied depending on the grade level, but for the most part always included lined paper, a number of folders and/or three-ring binders, colored pencils, crayons, #2 pencils, rulers, erasers, pens, colored markers, backpacks (usually not L.L. Bean brand), and lunch boxes; older kids would need protractors, scientific calculators, and other tools/materials. Purchasing these supplies was an added expense many families struggled with.

As a member of (Boothbay Region) Community Resources Council, Boothbay resident Sue Burge proposed an idea to the board she’d read about sometime earlier: At the start of each year, the Council would provide all school supplies for kids Pre K through grade eight on the peninsula. And it was never to be needs based. Every student in grades Pre-K through middle school would be recipients – including students being homeschooled.

Burge’s fellow board members supported the idea and, for the first 10 years, Burge and fellow council member Nancy Van Dyke led the planning and execution of Set For Success (SFS) in collaboration CRC members, AOS 98 and Boothbay Region YMCA. Within a few years, the Boothbay region community began contributing to the August event: Hair salons were on site offering haircuts, dental offices came with toothbrushes and toothpaste; books and clothing were donated and healthy snacks offered. Local churches, too, have been involved from the beginning. Initially, donations were sought during services, say on a Mission Outreach Sunday; in recent years, letters are sent to area churches with donation information.

“And The McEvoy Foundation helps to support the overall program now,” said CRC Director of Operations Holly Stover.

In later years, a bouncy house was added and, in 2022, the cookout.

At the start, the Y offered the basketball court for the event and, as the event grew, Set For Success moved to the Y’s Marylouise Tandy Cowan Field House where it remained through 2022. The following year, it moved to the Boothbay Region Elementary School (BRES) gym, a move BRES Principal Shawna Kurr said was supported by parents and teachers. In addition to the school supplies, from backpacks (small lunchboxes for the Pre-K and K kids) to erasers, a raffle has been added with prizes ranging from bikes to gift cards.

Kurr noted the books are donated by Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library (BHML) for kids to read and be read to; as well as Bigelow, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, and many churches that also hand out books. The Opera House sends the music program, offered through the Arthur Webster & Danny Beal fund, lessons and instruments when needed. Hannaford provides a large snack table for the kids with fruit, granola bars, water and more.

L.L. Bean has donated backpacks over the years and continues to do so. Stover estimated the number donated at 30-35 and the CRC buys the rest.

“And that's our contribution. We do L.L. Bean backpacks because they last,” Stover said. “Everybody gets the same thing, and that's incredibly important throughout this whole event. It's an equal playing field; there's no stigma and shame. Everybody gets what they need to have the best possible start to school. That includes that backpack. We try to get lots of colors and styles. For the Pre K and K, we have lunch boxes if they want them, because that's their first startup to school."

Roughly 300-400 students attend the lively event with their families, Kurr said. And because it is now at the elementary school, Set For Success day includes little ones and their families meeting their new or first teacher in the classrooms, some for the very first time.

“I think one of the positive changes that I've heard from parents is that they're able to go to the classroom(s), to meet their children's new teacher; to have a conversation on a more casual day, not at night after they get out of work and the new year has already started,” said Stover. “This is really special the younger the student is. I think it is more beneficial for ‘littles’ to come see their teacher in the classroom. I think it's also provided a lot of comfort and less anxiety for all students, but particularly those that are younger.”

“So they're the first in the building, because we want them to be in without everybody,” Kurr said. “So that day they go out on the playground, they see their classrooms, and then the Set For Success event.”

Post event, Kurr and Stover meet with teachers to discuss what went well and not so well, what changes would be needed, and any feedback received from parents and the kids.

“We have multiple check in points throughout the year to see ...

how things are going. Of course, when we started having it at the school there were monthly meetings, because it was new and we hadn't done it before,” Kurr said. “And now that it's (Set For Success) been here for a couple of years, we've ironed out many of the kinks and have less meetings because we know the routine and it is definitely easier, but as soon as one event ends, we jump right into planning for the next year.”

“The kids absolutely love seeing their friends and they love getting free stuff. The vendors do a great job of handing out parent information while the kids are getting some sort of treat,” said Kurr. “They definitely market to both. We also do a raffle. So we try to make it fun, to make sure that everyone hits all of the vendors.

“LincolnHealth has been a great partner in supplying the raffle donations. Kids get tickets, put their name on them and put the tickets in the barrel for some really great prizes,” Kurr continued. “Last year we had a bike and Hannaford gift cards.”

A cookout was added the last year SFC was at the Y in 2022 providing social time for kids, parents and teachers alike and is a fun addition to the event now at the school. Students enjoy seeing Kurr at the grill cooking up the hamburgers and hot dogs.

“The kids are running around and parents are sitting on tables and on the rocks out there, just enjoying each other's company having conversations they haven't done all summer, right? Kids go to sports camps and when they see each other (at SFS), it's the first time they've all gotten back together. To me,” said Stover, “it looks really happy out there.”

Participating vendors: Bangor Savings Bank, Cheney Insurance, Coastal Maine Regional Broadband (LCRPC), First National Bank, Healthy Lincoln County, Mid Coast Literacy, American Legion Post #36, Al Cohen (and the former Big Al's Super Values), Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Boothbay Harbor Police Department, Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay Region Food Pantry, Hearty Roots, Lions Club of Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay Region YMCA, The Anchor Church, Boothbay Savings Bank, Boothbay Baptist Church, Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, Boothbay Region Land Trust, Boothbay Region Clean Water Initiative, Boothbay Sea and Science Center, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boy Scouts – Damariscotta Cub Pack 213 and Scout Troop 213B, Boothbay Region Adult Education, Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund, Boothbay Region Elementary School PTO, Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce, Community Action Head Start, Community Resource Council, FAME Next Generation, First Federal Bank, Girl Scouts, Hannaford, Harbor Theater, Healthy Kids, Homeschool Maine, Lincoln County Dental, Maine Parent Federation, New York Life, Boothbay Railway Village Museum, Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor, Veggies To Table, Wiscasset EMT, Lincoln Medical Partners/Family Care Center, School-based Health Center, Boothbay Harbor, Lincoln Health/Community Health, Karl’s Kids, United Way, and Wayfinder Schools.

“We want the children to know this community is interested in their education...and cares about their education, period.” – Sue Burge, 2012

To donate to the Set for Success Program, you can mail a check to Community Resource Council, P.O. Box 43, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538. Please write Set for Success on the memo line.

More articles about the beginnings of this program include:

https://www.boothbayregister.com/article/second-set-success-scheduled-august-18/15766

https://www.boothbayregister.com/article/set-success-back-school-mission-outreach-july-13/36517

https://www.boothbayregister.com/article/hundreds-attend-eighth-annual-set-success/122980

https://www.boothbayregister.com/article/bres-hosts-set-success-first-time/164905