On Aug. 19, inside the Santee Library, the Santee Mobile-Home Owner’s Action Committee, Inc. (SMOAC) held their 4th Annual Backpack & School Supplies Movement. Backpacks filled with school supplies were handed out, free to students, at 10 a.m. until supplies were depleted.
The Santee Young Professionals, Santee Chamber of Commerce and many other Santee businesses such as Chipotle, Barnes & Noble and Petal Vision Design and Events all helped organize the drive or hosted a series of fundraisers that contributed to the success of the Aug. 19 event.
On Aug. 19, inside the Santee Library, the Santee Mobile-Home Owner’s Action Committee, Inc. (SMOAC) held their 4th Annual Backpack & School Supplies Movement. Backpacks filled with school supplies were handed out, free to students, at 10 a.m. until supplies were depleted.
The Santee Young Professionals, Santee Chamber of Commerce and many other Santee businesses such as Chipotle, Barnes & Noble and Petal Vision Design and Events all helped organize the drive or hosted a series of fundraisers that contributed to the success of the Aug. 19 event.
“We had events that fed into the actual give-away, we had Chipotle on Aug. 11, also Barnes & Noble on the 11th and 12th, and on the 9th Petal Vision Design and Events,” said Buddy Rabaya, SMOAC president and regional manager.
Petal Vision Design and Events was at the Santee Summer Concert series featuring the band Wingstock selling floral products. A portion of the sales at the fundraisers went into the movement.
“The businessman I want to highlight is Dustin Trotter,” said Rabaya. “He’s trying to collect gift cards.”
The gift cards will provide teachers the tools to buy supplies for their school rooms and students.
The original meeting, four years back, that created this back-to-school supplies drive was comprised of Dustin Trotter, Buddy Rabaya and John Hossick.
“We’ve been doing this for four years,” said Rabaya. “The gift cards are a new component.”
Gift cards from Michaels, Office Depot and Walmart are just a sampling of the ones needed and appreciated.
The goal for their first year was to collect as many $25 teacher related gift cards as possible.
“The Chamber is excited to support SMOAC and their efforts to help the students of Santee Schools get off to a great start,” said Mike Clinkenbeard, owner of Farmers Insurance Agency and past chairman of the board of directors for the Santee Chamber of Commerce.
Distribution boxes, with the primary donation sites of the Santee Library, Santee Chamber, and Cameron Family YMCA, were set up to collect backpack donations, #2 pencils, paper, pens, scientific calculators, glue and more. Monetary donations and gift cards can still be mailed to: SMOAC, P.O. Box 712022, Santee, CA 92072-2022.
For more information. or if you want to help next year, email SMOAC92071@gmail.com or call 619-919-8061.
