Photographs: Left: Jessica Papillion and students Anijah Richard and Camron Richard receive book bags at the Opelousas Boys and Girls Club. Right: Crystal Babineaux displays the book bag she picked up at the Guillory School Supply Drive. (Photographs by Bobby Ardoin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Abundant school supplies were distributed at no cost in Opelousas Saturday as elected officials and designated volunteers handed out to parents and students essential materials that will be used in classrooms later this week.
Separate back-to-school drives were held simultaneously at the city’s Boys and Girls Club located on East Laurent Street, where about 600 book bags were available for delivery.
A few blocks away attorney Elbert Guillory and District 11 School Board candidate Tiffany Nolan handed out clear book bags to parents who arrived in vehicles at a tent pavilion located on East Landry.
The scene at the Boys and Girls Club was constant and interactive, as children who entered the gym shot basketballs and ate provided snacks, while a DJ had visitors dancing to Zydeco and Hip-Hop.
Parents who shopped for materials left the Boys and Girls Club with the variously-colored free book bags that their children couldn’t resist strapping onto their shoulders.
Guillory Back to School Drive
Guillory, who is running for lieutenant governor in November, said this is the second year that he has sponsored a school supply effort.
With assistance from Nolan and other campaign workers, Guillory had those requesting supplies to write down names and contact information in order to win an I-Pad.
Those who rolled down their driver’s side windows and left with book bags matched to their children’s grade levels, said Guillory.
“What we tried to do is give out the book bags that corresponded with the grades of the students. We had one set of bags for thosenine-and-under. Then we had the larger bags for the older students,” Guillory said.
The bags also contained sufficient materials for classroom use, such as pens, pencils, paper and crayons for the younger students. Book bags for the older students were packed with similar materials, but instead of crayons, these bags were equipped with colored pencils, said Guillory.
Guillory said the clear bags were utilized for school and student safety.
Boys and Girls Club Materials
Alderman Marvin Richard said the give-a-way at the Boys and Girls Club marked the ninth consecutive year that he and other city officials provided school supplies.
“We have a lot of help (on Saturday) from different organizations in the area. Over the years people like Lance Chambers and Donald Vallien have been a big part of this effort. Then we have people from different fraternities and sororities who have always helped out,” said Richard.
Richard added that Med-Express has always provided key donations for the school supply effort.
This year Richard said that he donated about 150 book bags, while other members of the Board including Chasity Davis, Sherell Roberts and Milton Batiste III provided funding that helped purchase additional book bags and material.
Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor and Police Chief Martin McLendon also attended the event.
Richard added that there was also a $400 raffle scheduled later during the donation.
“For us as city officials and other persons who are involved, this is all about the Opelousas community and our effort to give back,” Richard said.
