ROCKINGHAM — With an hour to go in the Thursday campaign, every seat on a bus sitting in front of Walmart held various school supplies.
Some seats held paper, others notebooks or pens and pencils or pencil boxes or even facial tissue.
The two back seats were filled with disinfectant wipes.
Advisors Suzanne Hudson and Arthur Gilliam and a host of Richmond Senior High School Beta Club members collected donations — both in supplies or money — from shoppers before the drive ended at 2 p.m.
The students were divided into two shifts — one starting at 8 a.m., the other at noon, Hudson said.
“Our event helps students in need to start their new school year off on the right path so they can have a successful year,” said Michelle Parrish, executive director of the United Way of Richmond County. “All funds raised for this event go to purchase school supplies for Richmond County School students.”
This was the 11th year for the annual Stuff the Bus campaign — a partnership between the United Way and Richmond County Schools — which had support from 29 local sponsors, according to Parrish. Signs from the sponsors were attached to the side of the bus.
She said the busload of supplies will be sorted and delivered to the county’s school’s next week.
While there is not a tally of this year’s take, last year’s drive collected 32,500 supplies including notebooks, paper and pencils.
