TCC hosts 8th annual backpack giveaway

SANDPOINT — If you haven’t done your school supplies shopping yet, look no further.

A drive-thru backpack donation event is taking place this Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Sandpoint and Ponderay’s TCC stores.

Since 2013, TCC’s School Rocks Backpack Giveaway event has donated over one million backpacks full of supplies to K-12 students in need. For the eighth annual event, TCC has a goal of donating 140,000 backpacks through its 800 participating TCC and Wireless Zone stores.

“It’s our favorite time of year as a TCC family. We love helping students obtain essential supplies before they begin their school year each summer,” said Scott Moorehead, CEO of Round Room, parent company of TCC in a press release.

Each store will be handing out 172 backpacks filled with pencils, paper, folders, glue, a pencil box and more. Students will have the opportunity to scroll through a menu of backpacks in different sizes, shapes and colors to choose from.

To celebrate one million backpack donations, the event is also awarding five $10,000 college scholarships to any participating student.

“Education is important and we want to help out in any way we can,” said Jeremy Solum, Sandpoint and Ponderay TCC store manager of almost five years. “I have been a part of other companies where they say, ‘We give back to these communities’ and I never really saw it, where it is very important to this company … It’s very important that kids have everything that they need and we are happy to provide what we can.”

Solum said about 50 students participated in the event last year. He has high-hopes on giving out all 344 backpacks by the end of Sunday.

“We always wind up with other backpacks and we have to find places to distribute them,” Solum said. “I hope to give out all of my backpacks. I would love to see that happen and I would love to see someone from our area win one of those scholarships.”

As part of the Big Impact program, all children in grades K-12 are eligible for entry in the scholarship giveaway. Entries will be accepted from July 24-31 and can be registered at their local TCC stores during the School Rocks Giveaway event.

Unlike previous years, this event will be strictly drive-thru to cooperate with local and federal health recommendations related to COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s always been a blast,” Solum said. “I used to organize a little science project to do with the kids and then we’d have sidewalk chalk and face painters and the K9 unit would come out and Mr. Subs would donate. But, unfortunately this year with all of the recommendations we are cutting that out. It’s just going to be a straight giveaway this year.”

All participating store locations must follow CDC’s social distancing guidelines, however, masks will not be mandatory because the event is outdoors.

To learn more about the event visit www.tccrocks.com/locations.