Sharing Saturday- Giving Back to School Bash

Today we had a good time hosting a (Giving Back) to School Bash!

Here's the invite that L helped make...

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(GIVING BACK) TO SCHOOL BASH!!

Please join us this Saturday August 20^th, 2011

From 3-5pm

For fun, drinks, and lots of sweets!

Make a plate for your family to take home!

We will be accepting donations for Crayons to Computers,

An organization that helps put together a free store for teachers in the Cincinnati area to get much needed supplies for their classrooms.

Items needed include:

pencils, pens, crayons, glue, filler paper,
construction paper, folders, scissors, rulers, notebooks, copy paper

Cash donations: Your generous, tax-deductible contribution to C2C will enable 

them to keep their shelves stocked with the basics.

Let’s celebrate the beginning of a new school year by giving back.

Let us know if you can come and feel free to tell a friend.

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I looked at our dining room table the other day and it was overflowing with new school supplies.  

Backpacks, lunchboxes, scissors, folders, fresh new pencil, crayons and markers, binders,

notebook paper, folders, sharpie markers, dry erase markers, index cards, baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, baggies, paper towels, and erasers.

This list is in addition to the $36 each for L and PT's school supply fees, 

and J's $105 snack fee for preschool.

We can't forget the new shoes or clothes that were tossed in the cart in honor of "Back to School."

Don't get me wrong.  I am not complaining.  The kids enjoy picking out new supplies and we believe in our school district and their use of our money.  I just found myself wondering what a mom that is struggling to pay bills feels like buying all of those supplies.  I would guess that the whole experience is a little more dreadful rather that being good moment to share with her child(ren).  I also thought about all the teachers that are facing budget cuts and have students who have no money to buy supplies so 

they are opening up their own wallet.

That is where Crayons to Computers comes in.  They run a free store for teachers to "purchase" necessary supplies for their students and classrooms.  

For our(Giving Back) to School Bash, friends, family and neighbors stopped by with donations of schools supplies and cash.  In exchange, we had a spread of desserts and some lemonade to share.

It was a lot of fun and we had a good turn out.

All of these great people filled up 2 boxes with supplies and donated $170!!!

My very generic goal was $100 so we are so excited!!

PT even left a message on the driveway in chalk.

(It says, "Bak sale for chariti")

Thank you so much for all of the donations!!

Also thank you Dad for helping us chase the kids!!

I hope that everyone has a great transition back to school.  I realized that tonight is our last night before I have to remind everyone that "It's a school night."  I am a little bummed.