Blessing of the Backpacks event Aug. 26

Last Updated on Friday, August 10, 2012 12:18 pm Written by Staff Reports Tuesday, August 14, 2012 07:00 am

CAPE MAY COUNTY – The Branches Outreach Center will holds its fourth annual Blessing of the Backpacks and Hot Dog Festival Sunday, Aug. 26, to kickoff the beginning of the school year.

The program starts at 5 p.m. at The Branches, in the Village Shoppes at the intersection of Second Street and Vermont Avenue in Rio Grande. The Branches is the Episcopal ministry and outreach center founded by St. Mary’s Church, Stone Harbor, and St. Barnabas Church, Villas.

In conjunction with the event, volunteers are collecting school supplies and backpacks for area children. Last year’s event resulted in more than 135 backpacks filled with supplies being donated to representatives from several local schools and agencies.

Items needed include new backpacks; two-pocket portfolio folders; glue sticks; 24-count boxes of crayons; 10 or 12 count boxes of markers; erasers; 12-count boxes of colored pencils; small pencil sharpeners; marbled composition books; spiral notebooks; ballpoint pens; pencils; highlighters; plastic rulers; and cloth book covers.

Items can be dropped off at St. Mary’s, 9425 Third Avenue, Stone Harbor, Sunday through Friday 9 a.m.-noon; St. Barnabas, 13 West Bates Avenue, Villas, Tuesday 5:30 p.m;-7 p.m.; or The Branches, in the Village Shoppes at the intersection of Second Street and Vermont Avenue, Rio Grande, Monday, 6 p.m.-7 p.m. and Wednesday, noon-1 p.m.

For more information, contact Beverly Larson at 609-368-4143.