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Hundreds of children gifted free supplies at back-to-school event

6 years 7 months 4 weeks ago Saturday, July 29 2017 Jul 29, 2017 July 29, 2017 11:43 PM July 29, 2017 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - Hundreds crowded under a covered picnic area at the Waddill Wildlife Refuge, trying to avoid the rain and grab some free school supplies Saturday.

It's all a part of "Fishing for Backpacks", a back-to-school event that began four years ago.

"From the first year we went from having to maybe a hundred kids to this year we probably at four hundred and something odd kids," Organizer Wendell Williams said.

The Good Times Bass Fishing Club puts on the giveaway, and they say a lot more parents are in need this year because of the 2016 flood.

"We had to come back this year and do it bigger and better to make sure we help all the victims of the flood," Williams said.

Sharon Cage is a single mother of three. She works full time, but still needs help making ends meet.

"Look, I have three girls, so everyone that has girls knows the cost of of living for children, let alone girls," Cage said.

While the brand new backpacks, paper, pencils and pens bring smiles to children faces, Wendell Williams says the real joy comes from helping those in need.

"A highlight of my life and day is to see those kids' smiles on their faces," Williams said.

Wendell says the event was even more successful than years past, helping around 400 children get the supplies they need.

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