Members of Star Group – Veterans Helping Veterans, WAC Chapter 94, along with representatives from Communities In Schools collected donations of coats and shoes for students in local school districts on Saturday, August 15th.
A steady stream of vehicles pulled into the parking lot of the headquarters of Star Group –Veterans Helping Veterans as the donations poured in and over 100 pairs of shoes; 100 coats and $400 was collected for this Event. These items/money was handed directly over to the Communities In Schools representative.
Star Group – VHV, along with the Women’s Army Corps chapter 94, collaborated with Communities in Schools to have a clothing and shoe drive. Items collected on Saturday will be divided among seven area school districts and disbursed to students in need, to include students in Copperas Cove, Belton, Cameron, Salado, Florence, Killeen and Temple.
John Robinson, vice president of Star Group – VHV, said a total of 48 campuses will be receiving the donations. “Today, we’re in the assistance role,” Robinson added. “We’re providing
food and labor support. If there’s anything going on in the community that’s worthwhile, we want to be a part of it.”
Aquanetta Pullins, president of the WAC chapter 94, is also a member of Star Group – VHV partners with Communities in Schools, WAC chapter 94 Dan Yancey Star Group – VHV, and said
her WAC chapter volunteers other ways in the community, at the Temple VA facility, helped support both the Killeen and Copperas Cove chambers at the recent Hood Howdy, along with helping out with the fashion show at CTC. “There’s a lot of drives for school supplies,” Ms. Pullins said, “but this one is a little different.” Ms. Pullins said this was a great opportunity for the group to come out and help the kids, and a lot of members from both volunteer organizations came out to help. “There is a lot of need,”
Ms. Pullins said that even though Saturday’s drive was for one day, people can still drop off donations of coats, jackets and shoes at Communities in Schools office in Killeen, Monday through Friday. The office is located at 4520 E. Central Texas Expressway, Suite 106, in Killeen.
The day’s activities were definitely a group effort, with CIS executive director Michael Dewees and several of the local CIS staff on hand Saturday as well, holding signs to draw drivers to stop at the donation site.