As summer vacations wind down for Fayette County students, the YMCA of Central Kentucky is once again hosting a series of Back to School rallies across Lexington.
It’s a ritual some parents may enjoy, but for students the trip down the school supplies aisle signals the end of playtime and the start of homework and tests. Still, organizers with the YMCA say it doesn’t have to be a chore.
Saturday the organization will host 16 rallies in area neighborhoods – where families can peruse resource booths, chow down on snacks, and register to receive a free backpack, fully stocked with pencils, notebooks, and other necessities. Cliff Feltham says the demand fluctuates year to year.
"5,100 is how many we have supplied for the effort this year," he says. "We've had as high as 8,000. In years past, it's stayed at around 7,000."
Since the event’s inception, more than 35,000 children have received some assistance as they gear up for class.
See the full list of rally locations below:
Coolavin Park
Douglass Park
First Baptist Church Bracktown
Gainesway Center
Gardenside Christian Church
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Green Acres Park
Imani Family Life Center
Lou Johnson Park
Marlboro Park
Russell Cave Church of Christ
Shiloh Baptist Church
Speigle Heights Park
Total Grace
Valley Park
Woodhill Park