Erase a need; donate supplies for Valley kids

As excited (and not-so-excited) Mat-Su Valley parents and children prepare for another school year, the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman wants to make sure every local child is prepared to learn.

That’s why we’re excited and proud to kick off the newspaper’s fifth annual Foundations for the Future campaign, an effort to ensure elementary school students in every part of our Borough have the supplies they need to be successful in the classroom. With the price of gasoline holding above $4.40 a gallon for regular unleaded and grocery bills continuing to climb, it’s more important than ever for all of us to make sure something as simple as having the proper supplies in the classroom won’t be an obstacle for student achievement.

Donated items like glue sticks, pencils, markers, backpacks, crayons, notebook paper and rulers may seem insignificant to many. But for some local families trying to stretch already tight budgets, knowing their children will have the supplies they need can be the difference between a child having a warm coat this winter or adequate shoes to wear, and going without.

As your hometown newspaper, we accept the charge of helping to make a positive impact on the lives of those who live here in the Mat-Su, and we can’t do that without your help. We are proud and humbled each year as our community supports Foundations for the Future. Because of this support, last year Foundations for the Future was able to donate, along with other supplies, more than 1,500 pencils, 550 three-ring binders, 450 eraser tops, 200 boxes of crayons, 330 folders and 230 glue sticks.

This year, we’re pleased to welcome Wal-Mart as part of the effort. Now through Sept. 12, you can donate school supplies at the Frontiersman (5751 E. Mayflower Court, Wasilla) or at specially marked bins at Wal-Mart. In addition, Wal-Mart has pledged to also provide school supplies to the effort.

Frontiersman Business Manager Tracy Ressler is the driving force behind Foundations for the Future and said last year’s supplies drive helped students at 18 local elementary schools.

That’s a good start.

Become involved. When shopping for those school supplies, pick up an extra box of crayons, spiral notebooks or other basic elementary school supplies and drop them in the boxes on your way out. You can also call Ressler at 352-2263 for more information about Foundations or to inquire about becoming a business sponsor of the program.

We’re confident with the continued support of the community and generosity of local businesses like Wal-Mart that Foundations for the Future will continue to make a positive difference in the quality of education for many of the Valley’s school children.