Benefit helps youth with back-to-school clothes, supplies
ChildSpree and the Morgan Hill community have raised $23,000 toward helping 200 underprivileged children to be outfitted with back-to-school clothes and supplies.
Still more help is needed – both for volunteers and cash. The goal for this year is $25,000.
In preparation for Saturday’s ChildSpree, volunteers will get an early start Thursday by stuffing backpacks with school supplies at Mervyn’s, a co-sponsor.
According to Gina Six, who is helping to organize the event, the supplies will be basic materials such as lined paper, binders, folders and writing utensils.
The shopping spree will be held on Saturday at 7 a.m. For two hours Mervyn’s will be only open for participants. According to Six, parents will bring their children to the store where they will be teamed up with a volunteer who will take them throughout the store.
“Each chaperone will be handed a $100 gift card to shop with,” said Six. “Mervyn’s is really good about doing their markdowns prior to the event, and they give us a 10 percent discount on all ChildSpree purchases.”
Mervyn’s will be fully staffed during the shopping spree.
Because of the volume of children involved, not everyone can participate at once. During the time that children are waiting to shop, the Morgan Hill Lion’s Club will offer a pancake breakfast.
Six said that before hand, parents will make a list of what clothes are needed. They will give sizes and any other information.
Six said this would be the event’s first year without volunteer stalwart Ken Tougas, who died May 15 and had been the event’s guiding force.
“South Bay Alliance was formed with assistance from, and in memory of, our dear departed friend Ken Tougas,” Six said. “One of the goals of SBA is to assist Ken’s friends in carrying on his dreams for the community.”
To raise money for ChildSpree, two different fund raisers were held. The first, a July 13 Rib Feed, sponsored by the Morgan Hill Kiwanis Club, offered food prepared by Betsy’s Restaurant and music by Dave Barrett’s School of Blues featuring John Garcia. The Rib Feed raised $5,000.
The second was a luncheon held by the Rotary Club on July 23, where $4,000 was raised.
Local business have also been helping to raise money for ChildSpree, including Abbott Labs, Associated Concrete, Country Golf Course, Betsy’s Restaurant, the San Martin and Morgan Hill Lion’s Clubs, the Kiwanis Club and the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.
Participants will be those who had previously been notified by organizers. Six says that if they are notified by a school that a child was missed, than a special shopping day will be set up.
Volunteers are still needed. Six says that volunteers will take the children through the store, and need to arrive at Mervyn’s by 6:45 a.m. All shopping must be completed by 9 a.m. so the store can open for the regular day.
Donations will still be taken.
Details to volunteer call 776-2791 or 776-3222. For donations call 782-8883 or 776-3222. Details may also be obtained by sending an email to Six at gi**@************ll.com.
