It was just a few weeks ago, that a group of local volunteers joined in the annual Pack the Bus School Supply Drive sponsored by the Q99 radio station along with overall primary sponsors: Pepsi, SunTrust Bank, and Walmart, and secondary sponsors: Valleydale Foods, Inc., Heiner’s Bakery, Panera Bread, and Custom Apparel. This project will reach 23 school districts this year. As the work progressed locally, volunteers from The Glebe, The Bank of Fincastle, the Botetourt Lions Club, and Troutville Baptist Church gave their support on behalf of Botetourt County students in need of assistance in obtaining school supplies.
On August 10, their work resulted in Jenny Petty, Branch Manager of The Bank of Fincastle (The Glebe Branch), presenting to Wanda Martin, Supervisor of Elementary Instruction for Botetourt County Schools, donated gift cards and cash totaling $1,020.00. This included The Bank of Fincastle matching a $500 gift card from the Botetourt Lion’s Club and a gift from the local community.
The Glebe Committee, consisting of Trish Alt of The Glebe staff and a dedicated group of residents who are retired school teachers (this group volunteered 60 hours for this effort) collected, purchased, organized and packed 40 boxes of supplies which were delivered to the Bonsack Walmart on August 10 to “pack the bus” for Botetourt County students. With cash, gift cards and supplies, the total amount donated through The Glebe was $3,441.04.
Wanda Martin, expressed appreciation for the community support and in particular the help provided by the residents of The Glebe. She commented that this was an incredible year with so many supplies being donated that after the bus was packed full, she packed her car with more supplies and the bus was scheduled for a second trip to pick up the remaining items. She was also pleased that parents had learned about Pack the Bus and several had called to request supplies for their children. Those involved appreciated the support of The Fincastle Herald through the printing of articles about the drive in two issues of the newspaper.
According to Frances Smith, who chaired The Glebe Committee, everyone involved worked diligently on behalf of the students of Botetourt County, their parents, and their teachers. As a former teacher, Mrs. Smith commented on how beneficial it is for students to have the supplies they need which helps them feel confident and to look forward to starting the new school year.