On Sunday, Aug. 17, starting at 1 p.m., students from Boothbay Elementary School, pre-K through 8th grade, Edgecomb Eddy, kindergarten through 6th grade and Southport Central, kindergarten through 6th grade, accompanied with at least one parent or guardian will, be welcomed at the front doors of the Boothbay Harbor YMCA Field House for this year’s Set for Success event.

After the student registers at the Welcome Table, they’ll receive their 2014/15 teacher required school supply shopping list.  

From there they will enter and head to the free school supply shopping center; elementary school kids will go to mid-court while students in pre-K and kindergarten will be directed to a separate shopping area for their supplies. 

Each student will be given a new backpack, all their required school supplies, and so much more.  Students who have a perfectly good backpack that can be used one more year can inform the Welcome Table. Those students will be given an alternative string bag to use for their free shopping spree.

Then each student can get that all-important back to school haircut at our hair salon with volunteer hair stylists from across our peninsula; girls can also elect to have a mini manicure. Parents and students are encouraged to spend time at our many event booths offering very valuable information and handouts of all kinds.

Stop at Hannaford’s Food Court for samples of food featuring “Healthy Breakfasts On the Go.” The list of event tables are listed below. Don’t miss them and be sure to keep an eye on your raffle ticket that you’ll receive at the Welcome Table. We’ve got many, many free gifts to give away.  

As of press time, here is a listing of vendors who will be at Set for Success: Dr. Michelle Bouchard – Healthy Eyes; Boothbay Fire Department Firefighters; Boothbay Harbor School Police Officer – Larry Brown; Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library – Children’s Librarian staff; Lincoln County Head Start – Pat Maguire; Healthy Kids Programs; Boothbay Baptist Church–Bibles for Children – youth program; Boothbay Region EMTs - life saving equipment; Boothbay Family Dentistry- Dr. Toby Clarkson and staff; Boothbay Region Community Resources – featuring their outreach programs; Boothbay Region Food Pantry – donation bin available for gifts of nonperishable food; Boothbay Region Land Trust; Boothbay Region Rotary – gift bag handouts for students; Boothbay Region Garden Club - a display of all their accomplishments with elementary students in the school system; Boothbay Region Elementary School Reading Lab with Lisa Sharp (free books to give away); Calvin Crocker – resident DJ spinning the tunes and assisting Evelyn Andrews with Raffle Prize drawings; Charles Baker - Publisher of children’s history magazines; Bounce House - from Compass Rose; Boothbay Harbor Hannaford Food Court – Featuring Healthy Breakfast On The Go; Scott Rittal - Musician featuring Teaching Musicians performing their musical craft and offering information on lessons; Coastal Maine Botanical Garden - Children’s Programs and handouts; Edgecomb Congregational Church – Children’s programs; Student Aid Scholarship Fund from High School;

FAME: Financial Authority of Maine will be back again this year offering NextGen matching educational grants. For $25 and the completion of paper work a student can walk away with a $225 educational matching grant. Through event incentives there will be many children who will receive educational matching grants as a gift. Parents must be present to fill in the necessary paperwork which includes the student’s social security information. Parents, please stop at the FAME booth, one located within School Supply Central and another with representatives waiting to help you with sign up information.  

Family Care Center - Primary Care Provider sign up, registration for My Chart; Nursing services; and the new Wellness/Rehab Center featuring pediatric services and much more.

Karl’s Kids - Young people throughout Lincoln County Maine in need of equipment in order to participate in sports may apply. If you are aware of a child up to age 18 who has a financial need for sports equipment, uniforms, or other related items in order to participate in athletics, please request a grant application by going online at www.damariscotta-newcastlerotary.org, click on Karl's Kids and print an application.

Kwiltz for Kidz - displaying quilts they gift to children and adults facing a serious crisis. One special quilt will be part of the raffle prizes; Let’s Go – information about Lets Go and 5-2-1-0; Lincoln County Health - the school based health center – promoting health screens, and registering for the health center services;

Lions Club of Boothbay Region - bringing SPOT the mobile Wi-Fi enabled hand held device with a touch screen.  It uses infrared light, software algorithms and high-end optics to detect vision problems in anyone from six months and up in just a few seconds.   A big change from asking children to read lines on an eye chart. This will be located in the Tennis Court Office.  

Set for Success, now in its third year, is sponsored by Boothbay Region Community Resources is for every student in the Boothbay Region Elementary School System.   

If parents would like to “Pay It Forward” we are accepting gifts of non-perishable food to be brought to the Food Pantry booth at the event or could give a monetary donation at the Welcome Table.

Please don’t stay home because you think this event is not for your family. Our goal is to outfit every student so that everyone returns to school on a level playing field. Everyone has everything needed to be Set for Success.

This event is free with one exception: If a parent chooses to purchase a Nex/Gen matching grant for $25. Otherwise, it is for every young student. For more information, Call Sue Burge at 207-633-7049.