Got himself a new back pack: Mauricio Ramirez has a big smile as he glances back at a new backpack and filled with school supplies. He said he is ready to go to school when classes resume Monday. Photo by Mel Toadvine

Parents who had applied for a backpack and school supplies and sneakers while they lasted stood in line more than two hours on Thursday, Aug. 12 waiting for the Lehigh Community Services to fine tune how volunteers were going to handle the large turnout of people coming to get free school supplies along with the back packs and sneaker certificates to Walmart for as long as they lasted.

The doors opened at 2 p.m. and for the couple of hours, the line never ended as family members, some with their children, came to pick up much needed school supplies. Back packs are not cheap for parents who have lost their jobs or who are having rough times during the current downturn in the economy.

Charlotte Rae Nicely, executive director of Lehigh Community Services, has asked volunteers to help out and they gladly did, she said. Without them she said she didn’t know how they would have made it through the day without chaos.

Some 275 back packs were passed out and 250 certificates to take to Walmart for sneakers were passed out.

“We had a lot of families apply this year. It was a first come, first served. We asked them for information showing incomes as the families had to meeting certain guidelines to be eligible for the free school supplies.

Families lined up to get free school supplies at Lehigh Community Services. Photos by Mel Toadvine

As people entered the office on Wings Way, just off Beth Stacey Blvd., someone retrieved what was needed and brought to the family, which exited another door. The area in which Lehigh Community Services and The United Way House does its work is not large, so people were required to stand in line and one recipient at a time was allowed in, which oftentimes mean three or four if mom and dad and a couple of children came, too.

“The people have been very appreciative and thanked us for what we were able to do,” Nicely said.

“We just couldn’t full fill the great need here in Lehigh. We did with what we had and all that we had was donated by churches and individuals. And for that we are greatly appreciative, Nicely said.

The requests this year for help probably has exceeded any other year that Lehigh Community Services has been holding this event. Other areas of the county have held similar school supply giveaways which also included the popular back pack that almost every student needs today.

“For those who have called and were too late to get on the list, I have advised them to go to the Edison mall this past Saturday. They were giving away school supplies to first come, first served,” Nicely said.

New Life Assembly Church provided 225 back packs from the donations of its congregation and another 50 were donated by a smaller church, the First Christian Church. Then we had 166 certificates for sneakers. When they were given out, that was all we had, she said.

Helping Nicely at such a massive giveaway program were seven volunteers. They included, she said, Joanne Landeos Ross, Michael Ortiz, Jim Phebus, Ambrina Shields, Angela Ortiz and McKenzie Phelps.

By 2 p.m., the book packs were gone, but still some came and Nicely reminded them of the school supply giveaway at the Edison Mall on Aug. 21 that started at 10 a.m. She advised people to get their early if they wanted to receive any supplies.

While most families went to their cars, one youngster, Mauricio Ramirez, tried on one of the two back packs his family received. In addition to one for himself, the family was given one for Mauricio’s sister.

“Yeah, I like this,” he said as he looked back at the school supplies. “I’m read for class.”

Schools begin in Lee County on Monday, Aug. 23 although teachers returned to set up their classrooms and meet with their principals two weeks ago.

Mauricio said he will be in the fifth grade. He is the son of Alejanolro and Carmen Ramirez, who also said they appreciated what Lehigh Community Services was doing for the community.