Again this year (2017) Star Group Veterans Helping Veterans partnered with Walmart Copperas Cove and the Copperas Cove ISD for another successful Stuff The Bus Campaign.
All the seats were filled, then the racks over the seats were filled and then the items began filling up the aisle of the Copperas Cove Independent School District activity bus parked in front of Wal-Mart over the tax-free weekend.
In total, almost $30,000 in supplies were collected for Cove ISD’s students in need.
Wal-Mart co-manager Jeff Weeks said the support from the community was overwhelming. "As a result of everyone’s dedication, we are hopeful that every child in CCISD will have a great school year,” Weeks said.
Jonathan Haywood, president of Star Group, said he was grateful to the students of Cove ISD and citizens of Copperas Cove and the surrounding communities for coming out and participating while supporting their fellow students.
“They donated, cheered, collected school supplies and literally stuffed the bus full of supplies. Our organization continued its support of CCISD by donating supplies, cooking and handing out hot dogs, chips, drinks and playing music throughout the tax-free weekend as families shopped and stuffed the bus,” Haywood said. “A special thanks goes out to the Copperas Cove Rabbit Fest court and parents for continuing to support our children and the community as they greeted, smiled and collected supplies. “There were so many people who played an important role in the success of this event. They will be blessed by their contributions and participation in the wonderful event and so will our children in school.”
Collecting the supplies over three days filled the bus, which then had to be unloaded Monday and sorted for the different schools based on student needs. Supplies filled the cafeteria at Crossroads High School where the sorting and distribution took place.Cove ISD Curriculum Department Staff and members of the Copperas Cove High School Texas Future Educators Association helped wade through the mounds of supplies. Ashley Prax is the president of CCHS TAFE. "When we started unloading the bus, I didn’t realize how many supplies had been donated,” Prax said. “As we started sorting the supplies, it was a blessing to see the Copperas Cove community supporting these students that need help It felt great knowing it was going to students in need."
The supplies were distributed to the schools and will be given to students through the Communities in Schools representative on each campus and the parent liaison on the campus of Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy. Any parent needing assistance with school supplies should contact the CIS rep or parent liaison on campus
John Robertson with Star Group – Veterans Helping Veterans said the event was all about the children. Robertson and other volunteers from SGVHV kept busy preparing several thousand hot dogs over the weekend. "This is all about the kids, and we are honored to volunteer here again this year,” Robertson said.