PULLMAN, Wash. — Spokane and Coeur d’Alene businesses are accepting donated Backpacks for Hope, part of Washington State University’s response to assist those suffering as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
According to Gail Gleason, WSU education doctoral student and graduate assistant, these WSU alumni owned or operated businesses will deliver backpacks with contents to the WSU-Stanford football game on Oct. 8, if delivered to the businesses by Oct. 7.
The business include Postnet Postal and Business Services, Indian Trail Shopping Center, Spokane, 3327 W. Indian Trail Road; and Weldon Barber locations in Spokane Valley, 9119 Broadway; Spokane-South, 3209 E. 57th Ave.; Spokane-Five Mile, 6320 N. Ash; Spokane-At the Y, 410 E. Holland Road; Spokane-Crescent Court, 707 W. Main; and in Coeur d’Alene, 247 W. Sunset Ave.
“Backpacks for Hope” is a WSU partnership with Gleason and her son, former Cougar football player Steve Gleason, a NFL player for the New Orleans Saints. Through the partnership, backpacks filled with school supplies are being collected to aid some of the estimated 250,000 children displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
To participate in “Backpacks for Hope,” identify the grade level of student to be helped. Buy a grade-level appropriate backpack and write the grade on a piece of tape affixed to the outside of the backpack. Into the backpack put:
- School supplies, including notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, markers, rulers, scissors and glue.
- A children’s book, appropriate for the age of the child. A stuffed animal for the child.
- A journal or notebook for the child to write down their personal story of how the hurricane has affected their life.
Backpacks with contents will be delivered to San Antonio, where they will be delivered to children by Saints players and staff and provided to various relief groups working in the area.
In addition to backpacks with contents being collected at the Stanford-WSU football game Oct.8, WSU Community Service Learning Center staff is collecting backpacks with contents at the Compton Union Building’s Redwood Bench (near the CUB information desk) from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 7.
For additional information, visit Web site www.wsu.edu//katrina.
