Ozark Public Schools held their annual Back to School Bash at the Ozark Innovation Center on Saturday, Aug. 15. About 600 children were registered to attend the event, during which they were given backpacks, school supplies, hygiene kits, and more. A free lunch was also provided to all attendees.
Volunteers from about 30 area organizations that partnered with the district to put on the Back to School Bash helped out in various ways. Some helped serve the luncheon, while others distributed resources to the kids and their families. Others distributed school supplies, information about resources, and other items to the kids. Shannon Thomason, with Abundant Blessings, gave information to families about the services the organization provides.
“We offer clothing and shoes to children in need in Christian County,” she said. “We're located in Nixa, but we like to make sure the students in Ozark know about us as well.”
The members of the Masonic Lodge 352, located in Ozark, also helped out by helping parents create MOTIP information packets about their children.
“It gives the parents an information packet that includes critical information for their young person,” said Thomas McInnish, past master of the lodge. “It has their name, address, telephone number, facial pictures, fingerprints, and we give them a dental impression. They put all that information together on a flash drive that is Amber Alert compatible. That gives the parents all the critical information, so if their young person becomes lost, or if they need to give that to law enforcement … *(they can) give that to law enforcement instead of having to try to collect it when they're under stress, worrying about the young person.”
Also at the Back to School Bash was Dogwood Ranch, which hosted a petting zoo that included a donkey, a pony, a horse, and two therapy dogs. There was also face painting, an inflatable building, and vehicles that kids could explore from the Ozark FIre Protection District, the Ozark Police Department, the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, and Liberty Utilities.
Dr. Lori Wilson, superintendent of schools, thanked the volunteers at the event, as well as those who had donated resources.
“We are so grateful for the community and the school that's come together to provide these services, these items for our students,” she said. “There are so many families in the economy that we have right now that sometimes struggle, and we want to be there for them. And when those students come in, they have everything they need, and they're proud to be at school and they're proud of everything they have.”
