ROCKINGHAM — The threat of rain didn’t hold back efforts of the United Way of Richmond County for helping disadvantaged students from starting the school year prepared.
UWRC Executive Director Michelle Parrish — joined by volunteers from local businesses and organizations — went shopping at Walmart for school supplies Tuesday during the 17th annual Stuff the Bus campaign.
Shopping carts were filled with pencils, markers, scissors and other supplies — as well as socks and underwear — and a palette of notebook paper was loaded onto a flatbed trailer to be hauled back to the Ninth Grade Academy.
Meanwhile, student volunteers stood outside the entrances collecting monetary donations, with one group celebrating with a “Yaaaay!” every time someone dropped money in the bucket.
According to Parrish, there were 56 sponsors this year which had banners covering the two buses that were parked in front of the store.
Helping out this year were representatives of: Richmond County Schools; the Richmond Senior High School Beta Club; REV Federal Credit Union; Planet Fitness; Enviva; and the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce.
The Richmond County Partnership for Children was also set up near the buses to hand out free books.
Through this year’s campaign, Parrish said they were able to collect or purchase 55,684 items — exceeding the nearly 48,000 total in 2024.
All items are distributed to the schools in the district and given out by counselors or social workers to students who have been identified as being in need, according to Parrish.
