By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Fire Department's school supply drive is going on the next two weekends.
"We'd like to repay the citizens for everything they do for us," said Fire Marshal Tony Arpin. "During the big grass fires and things like that, they drop off water and food for us and this is kind of our way of giving back to the community and thanking them for all the support."
Hutchinson Fire sees all of Reno County as its community in this endeavor.
"We helped every Hutch school, we helped Nickerson grade school, South Hutchinson grade school, we took stuff to Haven, to the school in Yoder," Arpin said. "I even took a truckload of supplies to Fairfield. It's not just Hutchinson schools. We'll help everybody here in Reno County that we absolutely can."
The fire department will be at the Dillons store on E 5th, the Dillons Marketplace on E 30th, and Walmart collecting donated school supplies. Collection dates are Friday, July 30 from 4 until 8 p.m. and Saturday, July 31 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. A second round of donations will be taken Friday, August 6 from 4 until 8 p.m. and Saturday August 7 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
"We try to get the supplies to the teachers before the first day of school, that way, we're not in the way the first or second day of school," Arpin said.
Donated items can also be dropped off at Hutchinson fire stations, the command and training center on E 4th Avenue, the three RCB Bank locations in Hutchinson and at Allen Samuels CDJR.
Requested items include, but are not limited to:
Backpacks
Binders (zip-up or regular, 1.5 inch preferred)
Bottled water
Coffee filters for art projects
Colored pencils
Composition notebooks/lined notebook paper
Crayons
Dry-erase markers
Ear buds or headphones
Elastic Waistband Shorts
Erasers
Folders (2-pocket)
Glue bottles/glue sticks
Hand Sanitizer
High-lighters
Hygiene Items: Shampoo/Conditioner, Body Wash, Deodorant
Kleenex/Facial Tissues
Markers
Notebook Paper (College Ruled & Wide Ruled)
Note cards/Index cards
Paper Folders (with prongs and without prongs)
Paper Towels
Pencils (Prefer Ticonderoga)
Pencil Boxes and Bags
Pens
Plastic Pronged Folders
Play-Dough
Post-it Notes/Sticky Notes
Rulers
Scissors
Snacks: individual serving bags (Cheez-its, Crackers, Cereal, Pretzels, popped popcorn, granola bars, animal crackers, Goldfish, Fruit Snacks)
Socks
Spiral Notebooks (College Ruled, Wide Ruled)
Watercolors (Prefer Prang)
Ziploc bags all sizes: snack, sandwich, quart, gallon