More than 1,100 kids in Great Falls received free backpacks, sports physicals, and haircuts at the Back To School Blast event held at the fairgrounds on Friday. The event provided essential back-to-school services at no cost to families in the community.
Justin Robicheau reports - watch:
Stephanie Zwernenan, outreach manager for Alluvion Health, emphasized the importance of such community resources.
"I think it's really important for the community to have all of these resources to where if, you know, we can't afford a vaccination or we can't afford a sports physical to be able to, you know, offer those things for our kiddos," Zwernenan said.
For parents attending the event, it was the small moments and their children's reactions that made the day meaningful.
"I can't beat a free haircut or the help with the school supplies, though. And the look on their faces when they're handed their backpack was just fantastic. Or looking in the mirror going, I love my haircut," Tracey Haskell, a Great Falls resident, said.
Finding the right school gear was a highlight for many of the children in attendance.
"I like this because I also like getting the backpacks. So since I like this one, I really like this one," Demetrious Frederick, a Great Falls resident, said.
With the school year about to begin, the timing of the event couldn't be better for families preparing their children for classes.
"I got my sports physical and summer is really busy, so I wouldn't really have time to do it without the Back To School Blast," Amara Ochsner, a Great Falls resident, said.
Kim Skornogoski, marketing director for United Way of Cascade County, noted how the event demonstrates the community's collaborative spirit.
"I think something is truly special about Great Falls and Cascade County is that, when we come together, to make sure that kids are ready for school. Our community really cares about kids," Skornogoski said.
