A variety of colorful backpacks will greet 36 at-need elementary grade students as they return to classes at West Sedona School in August.The backpacks, provided free of charge by the Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks, also contain essential school supplies. Each backpack, suitable for grades K-to-4, holds two spiral notebooks, a dozen pencils, two glue sticks, one wedge eraser, a pair of safety scissors, a box of colored pencils and a set of 24 assorted crayons.
This is the eighth year that Red Rocks Rotary has donated the backpacks and supplies. They will be distributed by the Sedona Oak Creek School District to students lacking the necessary start of school staples. The district’s new superintendent, Dennis Dearden, helped unload the backpacks when they were delivered to the district’s offices on July 19 by Red Rocks Rotarian Donna Hawk.
The backpack donation is valued at nearly $1,000, which the Red Rocks Rotary finances through its fund raising efforts. During its past fiscal year, the club hosted seven events, including its signature charity golf tournament and the popular Red Rocks Oktoberfest. Combined net proceeds for all of the events was over $38,000.