Twelve hundred local children are expected to receive backpacks stuffed with school supplies Saturday at the sixth annual Back to School Picnic in Benton.
Oveta Pledger, founder of the program and president of the sponsoring organization, the Ralph Bunch Community Action Committee, said the backpacks will be distributed at 4 p.m. following the day-long event.
Before that, at 3 p.m., bicycles that have been donated for the project will be awarded to winners chosen in random drawings, Pledger said.
The Benton woman started the schoolchildren assistance program a short time after returning to the community. She said she saw a need, determined no one was meeting it and decided it was up to her to do something about it.
With that resolve, Pledger began the Back to School Program that for six years has been providing the backpacks and school supplies to local students.
The intent of the program, from the beginning and continuing today, is “to level the playing field” for the youngsters, Pledger said.
Saturday’s events will begin with a program at Pleasant Hill AME Church, 302 Reed St.
Several awards will be presented during that event. Among these will be five-year community service awards presented by Dr. Tony Prothro, superintendent of the Benton School District; Financial Instit-ution of the Year award presented by Pledger; and the Outstanding Community Service award presented by Pledger and Jennifer Pinkston of the Central Arkansas Development Council.
Featured speakers will be Mary Annette Barnes, a school improvement coordinator with the Arkansas Department of Education, who will speak on “Giving Back to the Community”; and T. Kenneth James, commissioner for the state Education Department, who will speak on “The Importance of an Education.”
Cheryl Washington will introduce Barnes and Prothro will introduce James.
Other program participants will include:
•The Rev. James Clark, pastor of Pleasant Hill AME Church, who will give the invocation and benediction.
•Benton Mayor Rick Holland, who will give the welcome.
•Sounds of OEM, a local gospel ensemble that will sing the national anthem.
•Llyweyia Rollins, who will present a vocal selection.
Registration for the backpacks begins at 9 a.m. at the same time the opening ceremony is scheduled and registration concludes at 2 p.m.
Pledger pointed out that no backpacks will be given to children who are not accompanied by a parent or guardian.
“And the child must be present also,” she said. “We must have both a parent or guardian there with the child or children. We can’t give one to someone who says she has five kids and they’re all sick.”
Information booths open at 10 a.m. and will include the Home Depot Woodwork and the Kids Corner.
Live entertainment will get under way at 10:30 a.m. and will be presented by artists with C.& J Records and Entertainment. George Pledger — “Jammin’ GP from KC — will be participating in the event as he has done every year since the picnic began. Pledger is a brother of Oveta Pledger.
Lunch will be served at the noon hour.
Recreational events will include a water slide and various games.
Monetary donations for the program are still begin accepted at any branch of Union Bank, Pledger said.
Several local restaurants have assisted the project and another will have a donation night Tuesday, Pledger said.
Chili’s restaurant will donate 10 percent of diners’ charges to the program, she said. Diners should present fliers to their servers between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
“It’s still not too late to help with this program that assists so many kids who need help,” Pledger said.
“We would like to thank the Benton community for the generous support for the picnic,” she said. “We could not have done it without the help of many individuals and businesses.”
Serving on the Ralph Bunche Community Action Committee with Pledger are Ray Baggett, vice president; Connie Curry, secretary; Jennifer Kelly, treasurer; and Jennifer Pinkston, CADC community development specialist.
Other committee members are Runion Anderson Jr., Lenard Lewis, George Pledger, Sherry Barker, Melissa Madison and Tina Jordan.
The following will have booths at the picnic:
Everett Buick Pontiac GMC, Ascent Children’s Health, Summit Bank, Army National Guard, Morgan Nick child identification booth, CADC, Saline County HHI, Pulaski Tech, Prevention Resources Center, Safe Haven, Habitat for Humanity, Crye-Leike, Robert Herzfeld, James Ward, Paul White, Benton School District and Ray Jones.
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