On Aug. 23, Current Office Solutions hosted the second annual Stuff the Bus cookout – an afternoon to celebrate filling a school bus with supplies for Hillsdale County schools.
“We filled every seat in the bus and then we went out and purchased about $4,000 in supplies with all the monetary donations that we got,” said Amber Yoder, communications officer of Hillsdale County Community Foundation. “We had a great show of support from a lot of businesses and individuals.”
This is the second year Current Office Solutions and Hillsdale County Community Foundation have organized the event. Previously United Way Program hosted the event. This year, the event featured a Johnny T’s Bistro cookout, live music, and water games.
Current Office Solutions gave the supplies directly to the school offices, “that way if [the school knew] of students that were in need they would be able to give them whatever supplies that they needed,” Yoder said.
“We chatted with the superintendent of Hillsdale schools when we did our purchasing to find out the things that kids needed more at home to do their homework. We tried to focus the things that we actually purchased with the monetary donations with those items that the kids could use at home, such as scissors, notebooks, and pencils,” she said.
Current Office Solutions also extended the donation drive for Hillsdale College so that students could drop off school supplies as they returned to campus.
Associate Dean of Men Jeffery Rogers said he and Dean Aaron Petersen decided to participate after Director of Campus Security Bill Whorley sent them a flyer for the event.
“We thought it would be a great idea to get all the RAs [resident assistants] involved because what a great way to have an opportunity in the ministry of giving,” Rogers said. “I thought that would be a great way for students to come to the college giving, because you receive a lot, so come giving – what better way to give than to give to the community that you are coming to and all of the schools in Hillsdale County.
Rogers said donating school supplies is even more essential with the increased miscellaneous costs of attending school, especially with sports fees and other extracurricular activities.
“They were very appreciative of our contribution – every little bit counts. I think more students would have given if they would have know sooner, but we didn’t get the word out soon enough,” Rogers said.
Senior Matt Raffin, captain of the Men’s Track and Field team, said the team was able to gather a significant amount of supplies.
“Many times with philanthropy projects you feel the need to give an arm and a leg to really make a difference,” Raffin said. “But when we were buying the supplies I realized how much even a little donation could buy. You are enabling someone to learn by donating something as simple and cheap as a notebook.”
