Back to School Bash school supply giveaway

By Editor | August 6, 2025 |

Photo by Shari Harris
Booths lined the perimeter of the Intercounty pavilion at Licking’s Old City Park Friday. Families could pick up free school supplies for the upcoming school year at the event.

By Shari Harris, Publisher

A Back to School Bash was held Friday evening at Licking’s Old City Park. Area churches combined with other organizations to hand out school supplies and other items to students in preparation for the 2025-26 school year.

Booths were set up for each class, with school supplies donated by the churches of Licking and other community donors.

Licking Christian Church gave out supplies for Pre-K students, whose numbers will increase this year due to a growth in size of the Wildcat Early Learning Center. Boone Creek Baptist Church had a large table of giveaways to prepare Kindergarten students for their school year.

Abounding Hope Church assembled bags of supplies for first grade students, making it an easy process to pick up a bag and go. Rock Springs Baptist Church gave away notebooks, pencils, crayons and more to second grade students.

Third grade students received supplies from First Baptist Church of Licking, which provided easy-to-follow instructions on how many of each item to take. Licking Assembly of God Church had items for fourth grade students, as well as giving out laundry soap, baby food, bandaids and toothpaste in conjunction with Convoy of Hope.

Licking United Community Help Center added to their generous community outreach efforts and provided school supplies for fifth grade students. Both they and Licking Pentecostal Holiness Church, which handed out supplies for sixth grade students, had items bagged for easy pick up.

The Offenders Offering Alternatives program and the Gavel Club at South Central Correctional Center donated funds for school supplies for students in seventh through twelfth grades. Members of the school administration were on hand to pass out these supplies.

Other booths at the event included Parents as Teachers (PAT), which had a book giveaway for children under six-years and offered information about the program. The Texas County Health Department gave away stickers and magnets, and scheduled appointments for immunizations. Wildcat Travel Club offered information about their upcoming tour of European capitals in July of 2026, and spread information about their upcoming Color Run fundraiser. Spirit FM also had a booth; they encouraged those attending to come up and spin their wheel to win Spirit FM swag.

After collecting supplies and visiting the variety of booths, many headed to the concession stand where the Licking Ministerial Alliance offered a free hot dog and chips dinner.

Licking students who were not able to collect their supplies on Friday evening will have supplies awaiting them on their first day of school. Thanks to the generosity of the community, families will just be responsible for providing backpacks, lunchboxes and water bottles.

The first day of school for Licking students will be Wednesday, August 20. High school Open House and seventh grade orientation will be Thursday, August 7, and Elementary Open House will be Monday, August 18.