On Sunday, July 13, all 13 area churches are inviting parishioners to prayerfully consider bringing money gifts or school supplies to church for distribution at a big back to school event to be held on August 17 at the Boothbay Region YMCA.

“Set for Success,” one of the many programs offered through the auspices of the Boothbay Region Community Resources, is set up to provide every Boothbay Region Elementary School student ages 4 through middle school with backpacks, academic supplies as required by the school system, free haircuts, shoes and eye and dental screenings to ensure every child is prepared and equipped for a successful school year starting September.

In order to accomplish this goal, we are asking for “Unity In The Community,” calling on individuals, businesses, churches, and groups to join in our cause. This year we plan to buy many items in bulk form. To equip one child with all the required supplies is a minimum of $50. Members and friends are invited to bring school supplies or money gifts to church on that Sunday. Some pastors will do a Moment for Missions during worship to enhance the giving and will have parishioners bring gifts forward or make mention to a drop box of goods/money and pray over the gifts designated for each child who receives them.

Each year the churches have been more than generous ... bringing in lots of wonderful school supplies and several thousand dollars of money. This event is a huge kick off for “Set for Success” which helps over 375 elementary students.

Items that are needed for donation include:

• Backpacks (large enough to hold multiple 9" x 12" binders)
• Ticonderoga Pencils and regular #2 pencils
• Seven-pocket accordion files
• Ballpoint pens (black or blue ink)
• Colored pencils (24 count)
• Thin colored markers
• Regular colored markers
• Crayola crayons 8 count
• Crayola crayons 24 pk.
• Sandwich bags
• Gallon size zip lock bags
• Quart size zip lock bags
• Fiskar scissors, all purpose for classroom use
• Pkgs. of economy sheet protectors
• 4 pks. of low odor white board markers
• Pencil boxes
• 3 ring white lined paper
• Children’s paint smocks, small, medium and large
• Boxes of Kleenex

The churches that are accepting donations on July 13 are Boothbay Region Community Fellowship, Boothbay Baptist Church, Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor, Christian Science Society, Our Lady Queen of Peace, St. Columba’s Episcopal, All Saints by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Wilson Chapel, Barters Island Baptist Church, Southport Methodist Church, Boothbay Harbor Methodist Church, East Boothbay Methodist Church, and Edgecomb Congregational Church.

Those who are not connected with a church, but want to donate school supplies, can either bring their gifts to the offices of participating churches during the week or go to one of our three donation sites in Boothbay Harbor: Bank of Maine, The First Bank, and Shear Artistry Hair Salon, the one donation site accepting money donations. And as always, checks are greatly appreciated and can be made out to BRCR/Congregational Church with “Set For Success” on memo line, Attention Carol Osterman, P.O. Box 468, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538. For more information, call Sue Burge at 207-633-7049. Your gifts are tax deductible. Please help our children be the best that they can be. No donation is too small!