Club members deliver lots of school supplies

DAVE BENJAMIN Representatives of the MOMS Club of Jackson West deliver backpacks and school supplies to the Jackson Food Pantry for distribution to local youngsters. JACKSON — When it comes to "Mama knows best," the MOMS Club of Jackson West really knows best of all what to do.

Last week the club members donated 75 backpacks filled with school supplies to the Jackson Food Pantry. The supplies were given to children whose parents use the services the food pantry provides.

School began on Sept. 3.

Patti Hewitt, service project committee chairwoman of the MOMS Club, said, "The Jackson Food Pantry has children of eligible people who will receive the backpacks and they will be able to start the school year off with all the supplies they may need."

In addition to the backpacks, the donated items included pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, pencil sharpeners, glue sticks, pocket folders, binders, filler paper, spiral notebooks, pens and lunch bags.

Hewitt said the donations came from the MOMS Club and from the community.

"We had collection bins at Farley's Ice Cream, at the Jackson Fitness Center and at the Jackson Library," she said. "In addition to that, we had some great contributions from the Knights of Columbus, St. Monica's Church, gift cards from Wal-Mart and Target, as well as from the Boy Scout special-needs group, Troop 178."

Hewitt said contributions were also received from the Weinstein State Farm Insurance Agency and from ShopRite of Jackson.

"This is probably our club's favorite service project because it is directly helping the children in Jackson. We all love doing it," club member Elizabeth Hughes said.

Club member Kathy LaManna said, "This is my seventh time doing this collection and it gets better every year. It is more and more rewarding to see that all of the kids get what they need for school."

LaManna's daughter Jillian, 10, said she enjoys the school supplies drive because she just likes to help people.

"I've [also] made a lot of friends here," Jillian said. "My Girl Scout troop helped, and they gave some backpacks and stuff, too."

Club member Lisa Capursl said the effort "was very will organized. We all worked together to get the backpacks filled. We were really excited to do it."

Jackson Food Pantry Director Phyllis Lewis said it was a wonderful donation from the MOMS Club.

"I think this is a lovely thing that they do and it is a wonderful service project for them," Lewis said. "It makes my kids feel good to have new things to take back to school, because some of the parents can't afford it right now. This is my second year doing this with the MOMS Club, and so far, everything that we have asked for they have always provided."