Expanded school-supplies giveaway in August at stadium needs volunteers [United Way column]

Education shapes the life of our community, and the success of our educational system depends on a network of people who are committed to teaching and supporting children of all ages.

Local schools rely on teachers, counselors, administrators and support staff who empower students to learn and grow. After-school and summer programs are also part of this network, offering learning development and enrichment opportunities.

Neighbors who volunteer at schools and with student-focused programs are part of this network, too. Marian Wright Edelman, founder and former president of the Children's Defense Fund, challenges us, saying, "Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it." If you are motivated to improve the lives of children in our community, I encourage you to volunteer.

One way to get involved is to volunteer at the upcoming 13th Annual Back to School Event, which is on Sunday, Aug. 18, from noon to 4 p.m. at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster. The event is powered by hundreds of community volunteers who help distribute backpacks, school supplies, books, shoes, clothing and more to local students.

The event is designed to be a single place where students and their families can get all the school supplies and information they need before the start of the upcoming school year.

This year's Back to School Event is hosted by Rep. Mike Sturla and Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El and is open to students in grades K-8 who live in the School District of Lancaster, Manheim Township School District, Hempfield School District or Penn Manor School District. Last year's event was attended by 2,000 students, and this year organizers expect even more students to attend.

The Back to School Event's success is due to the dedication of volunteers, and more volunteers are needed this year to support the anticipated larger number of students and families.

Volunteers are needed to help with preparation for the event, to serve on the day of the event and to assist with cleanup after the event. This is a great opportunity for volunteer groups from local workplaces, sports teams, churches, neighborhoods and families, and is also a great opportunity for individuals to volunteer and to serve with other community-minded neighbors in a festive environment. There are a variety of volunteer roles, along with a range of times and days that volunteers can serve.

Volunteering for the event

Before the event

Volunteers are needed to help sort and pack supplies in July at Park City Center ahead of the event. The week before the event, volunteers are also needed to help pack school supplies, pack food items for distribution to families at the event and to assist with loading supplies for transport to the stadium. Please note that some of these roles involve heavy lifting.

Day of the event

On the day of the event, volunteers are needed to assist with setup, registration and check-in, distributing shoes and supplies, guiding families around the event, translation and interpretation, face painting and cleanup.

After the event

The day after the event, volunteers are needed to help unload supplies back at Park City Center.

Other volunteer opportunities

Visit the United Way of Lancaster County's Get Connected volunteer site at uwlanc.galaxydigital.com . At the site you'll find a variety of volunteer opportunities from around the county, and you'll be able to sign up to receive updates when new opportunities are posted.

n Joel Janisewski is director of the volunteer center and community listening for United Way of Lancaster County.