Community members, volunteers and local organizations came together despite triple-digit temperatures to help Webster Parish students prepare for the upcoming school year during the annual Pack the Bus school supply drive held July 24-25 at the Walmart in Minden.
The Webster Parish School Board hosted the two-day event Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., collecting school supplies and monetary donations that will be distributed to students before classes begin.
The event, held simultaneously at Walmart locations in Minden and Springhill, was supported by volunteers from the Webster Parish School Board, United Way of Northwest Louisiana, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and community members who spent hours greeting shoppers and collecting donations.
“This was a successful two days with the Pack the Bus drive,” said Ursula Hullaby, community liaison for the Webster Parish School Board. “Considering the triple-digit heat, volunteers supported this effort, and Walmart customers were generous in both their financial donations and school supply giving.”
Hullaby said one of the weekend’s most memorable moments came with the very first donation Friday afternoon.
“The very first donation we received was from one of our very own Minden High School teacher’s 2-year-old son, Baby Naquin,” Hullaby said. “He was excited to stop by the yellow bus and drop in a generous amount of school supplies with his parents. It was very refreshing. The child was contributing to his future and his mother’s present.”
Throughout both collection days, shoppers stopped to fill donation boxes with notebooks, pencils, crayons, backpacks and other classroom essentials while making monetary contributions to support students across Webster Parish.
Hullaby praised the community partners and volunteers who dedicated their time to the effort.
“Community partners such as United Way and Enterprise, along with employees of the district, volunteered with enthusiasm for this event that will be a blessing to so many of our students and families,” she said.
The Pack the Bus drive serves as the kickoff to the Webster Parish School Board’s annual back-to-school outreach efforts. Supplies collected during the event will be distributed during the 18th Annual Back-to-School Bash, scheduled for Aug. 2.
The Back-to-School Bash will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will offer families more than school supplies. Students and parents will have access to community resources, vendor information, free haircuts, raffles, snacks and games. Every school in the district will have representatives on site, allowing families to connect with staff before the first day of classes.
“We encourage participation in this event as there will be much to experience,” Hullaby said. “Students will have the opportunity to visit their school’s tables, as every school in the district will be represented at both the Minden and Springhill bashes.”
School officials said the continued partnership between educators, volunteers, local businesses and community organizations reflects Webster Parish’s commitment to ensuring every student begins the school year with the supplies and support needed for success.