RUMFORD – Stacks of notebooks, piles of pens and pencils and markers, lots of calculators, a bevy of binders and crayons in all the colors of the rainbow were among hundreds of items collected by Rumford Firefighters’ Local 1601.

And on Thursday, the materials were distributed to the four elementary schools in the town.

Firefighter John Gannon organized the first-ever drive to help out families who may not have enough money to buy all the school supplies their children need.

Gannon said Fire Department members often go into the schools to talk about fire safety. Helping to raise money and supplies to help disadvantaged students seemed like a natural thing to do.

“We thought it would help out with school activities,” he said, adding that the union hopes to conduct a similar drive every year.

James Hodgkin, superintendent of SAD 43, was pleased with the donations.

“This is great. It strengthens the ties between the schools and the community,” he said. “The items are pretty much on the mark.”

The firefighters have been working on this project for the past couple of months.

Gannon said he’d talked to a local retailer to learn the appropriate kinds of things to buy with money donated by several area businesses and matching money from the union. Area residents also contributed a variety of items.

The supplies were divided into four equal piles. They were sent to Meroby, Virginia and Rumford elementary schools, and to St. Athanasius and St. John School where the principals determined who the supplies should go to.

“This is a great thing for the fire department to do,” said St. Athanasius and St. John fourth-grade teacher Lynn Lyons. “There are a lot of kids in the area who can use them.”

Hodgkin said he has seen other organizations conduct a similar drive to gather school supplies during his educational career, but this is a first for a fire department.

“This is pretty unique,” the superintendent said.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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