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Back to School Celebration Drive Thru


This past Wednesday, Littles and their siblings got backpacks and school supplies to start the year off right. The second annual Back to School Celebration Drive Thru event looked different again this year, but the format kept the opportunity to connect with our community and help our Littles feel more confident heading into fall.

BACKPACKS FILLED WITH SUPPLIES

Generous donors helped provide backpacks and fill them with supplies, including our friends at Molina Healthcare of Michigan, BDO, Costco, Gordon Water Systems, JCPenney, Kalamazoo Wings Hockey Club, Nulty Insurance, Office Depot, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Perrigo, Smoothie King, Stryker, and Target. Several dental offices, including Austrins Family Dentistry, Hallgren Orthodontics, John B. Morris Dentistry, Karen Mitchell Dentistry, and Richardson Family Dentistry contributed oral hygiene products for the backpacks as well. Thank you!

MAKING CONNECTIONS

While our usual “open house” style Back to School Celebration activities were shifted due to COVID-19, we all enjoyed the opportunity to connect with our Bigs, and our Littles and their families. This celebration is always a unique time of year for the agency, pandemic or not.

Littles and Bigs are usually meeting out in the community rather than onsite at Big Brothers Big Sisters, so this is one of the few times of year matches and families come together with our staff. It is a favorite event for the entire BBBS team.

CELBRITY ATTENDANCE

Upon entering our parking lot, matches and their families drove through a colorful balloon arch and were welcomed by local celebrities and even some from a galaxy far, far away. Slappy from the Kalamazoo Wings, Mario from LFG Gaming, as well as Star Wars characters from Great Lakes Garrison were there to wish them luck as they prepare for the school yearKD Sales‘ balloon décor was the perfect touch to welcome our families to the festivities. Our good friends at Rathco Safety Supply, Inc. provided the traffic cones that kept the drive-thru organized.

Check out our Facebook page for more pictures from the event!

Thank you to the many partners who came together to make this event possible. Your support ensures our Littles and their families have a great start to their school year! If you have a Little in your life that would benefit from a Big visit our Enroll a Child page for more information.