Community is a word that our children are taught at some of their earliest days in school, but learning about it in a classroom and seeing it in action are two different things, and White Countians definitely know how to show up and demonstrate what it means to be a supportive and proud community.
Most recently, the White County community showed up and showed off through their annual Backpack Assist Ministry in which backpacks full of school supplies, and this year hygiene products and food as well, are given to every school-aged child who drives through the event.
The program, which is in its 10th year, is organized by Carleen Benson who refuses to take any credit as she says the idea wasn’t hers and the work is shared by the entire community.
“My preacher, Doug Benningfield from Hickory Valley Baptist Church, approached me and said the White County School System has a back-to-school celebration where they give out 100 backpacks, but that they were running out of grant money and needed someone to take it over,” she said.
Ten years ago, Benningfield asked her to form a committee and see if the church could take on the event.
“The rest is history!” Benson said. “Ten years and approximately 10,000 backpacks later, I am proud to say we have blessed many families and students in both White and Van Buren counties.”
Benson is quick to tell anyone the event is not hers nor her church’s, alone, but that it’s a community event involving numerous churches, businesses, and volunteers throughout the community.
“Our goal is to show kindness and love, and we succeeded,” she said about this year’s event, which was held as a drive-through style event on July 30 at the White County High School track. “In this day and time, there is so much negativity and evil in our nation that I believe here in White County we truly know how to show kindness to each other and keeping God first in our actions.
Benson said the donations for the B.A.M. event come from a variety of sources, including local donations that are added to grants that are received.
“It takes approximately $10,000 to make our back-to-school celebration a success, and we will start accepting donations immediately for next year’s event as it takes a year to prepare,” she said.
Benson said she orders supplies bulk from a wholesaler but that she tries to shop local first, if possible. Some local businesses even choose to donate supplies, reinforcing the sense of community that is being shown through B.A.M.
“I have many local businesses donate supplies throughout the year, and I redistribute those to teachers and students both as they are needed,” she explained. “When I have extra funding and supplies, we try to have a teacher’s day in February, to help teachers with the financial strain of constantly providing supplies for our children.”
To prepare for this year’s Back-To-School celebration, 800 backpacks were stuffed full of paper, pencils, and other school supplies. In addition, this year, there was a little extra in the bags that were handed out free of charge to all children who rode around the track during the event.
“We were blessed to have Jane Fowler fill 800 hygiene bags and put them in the backpacks,” Benson said. “People knew she had taken on this project …. [they] donated funds for her to purchase shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and even hand sanitizer to fill the bags.”
Additionally, Pistole Church was on hand to make sure every child went home with a bag of food that included macaroni and cheese, cereal, snacks, cookies, juice, and milk.
“They do a weekend food supply ministry throughout the school year of our school children, and they chose to expand that and be onsite during our celebration to provide an extra blessing to these families this year,” Benson said, expressing her gratitude for the extra gifts.
The event kicked off with a prayer from Benningfield. Regina Coonrod Pullin sang national anthem while the crowd faced a giant flag that had been erected by Big and Tall Tree Works and hung over the track. The event concluded with students receiving a free treat from Mountain Snow as they left the track. Benson said the entire event was a demonstration of how community works and proof the White County community is a strong one.
“Volunteers are amazing,” she said. “It truly takes about 150 volunteers to make this project successful. They hauled the supplies to the women’s building at the fairgrounds, they set up the assembly lines to get the backpacks ready, they worked in 95-degree heat, they hauled the backpacks to the high school, set up tables at the high school, worked during the event, and then there is tear-down and clean-up. This year we not only filled 800 backpacks but we filled 800 food bags during the assembly line process in less than an hour.
“We have teachers, youth groups, several different churches, pastors, businesses, school students, young adults, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, small children, and grannies and pas come together and show the love,” Benson said. “It would be impossible to get this done without them. I may not know your name, but your actions and hard work will be forever appreciated.”
Benson describes the drive-through event as a happy one with smiles and waves and laughs as teachers and students reunite and families’ needs are met, making the transition from summer to school less stressful.
“It shows that as a community, we can put down all barriers and prove goodness wins,” Benson said of the lessons that she hopes the children learn and said that she hopes that she is proud to know that B.A.M. isn’t the only organization that is reaching out and filling the needs that are being seen in the community. “I think it is great that different organizations have back to school events – the more we reach out to help each other the better.”
While community is a word that is taught and lessons are prepared for young students in school each year, Benson said the lessons learned through programs that involve children, teaching them to love and care, are the ones that are being heard the loudest.
“We witnessed several children and young adults at B.A.M. that qualify as leaders,” Benson said. “We had a group of young children handing out backpacks, waving and yelling, ‘Have a great day’ and ‘Thank you for coming.’ No one told them to do this; it just came naturally. And the children in the cars responded back with waves and smiles. Our young volunteers were handing out Mountain Sno shaved ice and were just as happy and polite. We heard many thank yous from everyone, and that’s what it is all about.”
Benson said she hopes to see the B.A.M. event continue for years to come but most of all hopes the sense of community and love continue to grow in the children throughout the county.
“We have a great school system here in White County:-our teachers, our board of education and all the faculty of our school system truly care for the best of our children,” Benson said. “As we start this new school year, lets support each other, help one another and our children will grow up, watching us as role models and we will create future strong leaders for White County.”
Anyone who would like to make a donation to the Backpack Assist Ministry can do so at One Bank, on Bockman Way, in Sparta, or contact Carleen Benson or Doug Benningfield through Hickory Valley Baptist Church to learn how to volunteer.
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