It may be summer vacation, but residents will soon be seeing a big yellow school bus parked around town. The United Way of Rockdale and the Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families is inviting you to “Stuff the Bus” July 11-15 in a school supply fundraiser for students in need.

The bus will be parked from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the following locations: July 11 at Conyers Wal-Mart, July 12 at Target, July 13 at Rockdale Medical Center/Kroger on 138, July 14 at Conyers Wal-Mart, and July 15 at Publix at Rockdale Square.
 
Organizers are looking for donations of new school supplies, including: backpacks, calculators, pocket dictionaries, composition notebooks, pens, pencils, binders, jumbo book covers, glue sticks, crayons, deodorant, band-aids, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, socks, underwear, sweat pants, and shirts. Gift cards to local stores for children’s shoes can also be donated.

The supplies will be distributed to families on July 23 at the Rockdale Career Academy on Culpepper Drive starting at 9 a.m. for the annual “Day of Connections.” Children/students must be present for adults to collect supplies. Proof of Rockdale/Conyers residency is also required.

Michael Hutcheson, director of the Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families, said though this is the first time Rockdale is doing this event, the idea is not new. Claire Cline of United Way of Rockdale had seen it in another community and was inspired to try it here.

For more information on donating or volunteering, call 678-623-2857.