Help House has reported that school supply donations were overwhelming in a very good way this year. Collection boxes had been placed in several churches throughout Osage County along with some businesses.

“We have never ever had so much donated before,” said Raylene Quaney, Help House volunteer. “We really felt the best way to share would be to distribute to all of the schools in the county instead of just our clients benefiting as we have done in the past.”

Becky and Craig Lohmeyer-Siljenberg at Osage Produce show some of the school supplies donated by their customers.

At one of the collection sites, Osage Garden and Produce, owners Craig and Becky Lohmeyer-Siljenberg accepted donations from their customers as part of their “give back” program. Customers dropped off school supplies or left a cash donation, and the Siljenbergs added to that as a gift from their business.

Through the school supply donation program, Help House also was able to provide supplies for students in preschool through eighth grade all around Osage County.

At USD 454 Burlingame, the school’s PTO holds a carnival each year to raise funds to provide supplies for their kindergarten through sixth grade students. Help House provided supplies to help with the pre-school and seventh and eigth grades.

USD 456 Marais des Cygnes Valley provides supplies for all students in grade school through eighth grade except back packs, so Help House provided those.

Help House volunteers deliver Bearcat  school supplies to Burlingame schools.

As USD 421 Lyndon, USD 420 Osage City and USD 434 Santa Fe Trail did not provide school supplies for students, Help House divided up all donations equally and delivered supplies to each school to assist students who might not have requested or required supplies.

“We truly appreciate everyone who gave so generously and helped make this event so successful,” Quaney said.

For more information about Help House and its services, stop by 131 W. 15th St., Lyndon, Kan., call 785-828-4888, or see www.helphouse.online.