From left, with backpacks and school supplies collected by the Dracut Rotary Club and the Town of Dracut’s Economic Development Department, are Amanda Clermont, director of community engagement for Greater Lowell Health Alliance; Public Health Nurse Kara Curley; Health Director Dave Ouellette; Kerrie D’Entremont, executive director of Greater Lowell Health Alliance; Rotary President Ann Tinirella; and Rotary Treasurer Lee Ouellette. (PHOTO BY DRACUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT)

The Dracut Rotary Club teamed up with the Town of Dracut’s Economic Development to collect about 300 backpacks, along with other school supplies, for Dracut schoolchildren.

The backpacks were donated by local businesses, residents and agencies, including the Greater Lowell Health Alliance, which donated 25 backpacks filled with school and hygiene supplies.

The backpacks were delivered to the Dracut School Department’s offices on Lakeview Avenue, and they will be distributed among Dracut’s public schools to students who need them when schools reopen on September 6.

“This was a real community effort,” said Ann Tinnirella, president of Dracut Rotary and owner of Carbon Colors’ two locations in Dracut. “People and businesses really stepped up to help the cause.”

From left, with backpacks and school supplies collected by the Dracut Rotary Club and the Town of Dracut’s Economic Development Department, are Superintendent Steven Stone, Rotary President Ann Tinirella and Public Health Nurse Kara Curley. (PHOTO BY DRACUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT)

Several local businesses acted as drop-off locations for the supplies, including Carbon Colors, Enterprise Bank, Dracut Hardware, Lupine Design and Daigle tax Service, as well as Dracut Town Hall, which accepted the Health Alliance’s generous donation.

Other local businesses that contributed large quantities of supplies to the drive include Dracut’s Primo Pizza and Owen and Ollie’s Restaurant’s O&O’s for a Cause program, and Votze Butler Associates of Lowell.

“Thank you to the surrounding community members that dropped off backpacks at all our locations,” Tinnirella said.

“The community really came through for Dracut’s kids,” said Dan Phelps of Dracut’s Economic Development Department. “It was great to see the donation box at Town Hall fill up with donations from residents and town employees.”

Superintendent of Schools Steven Stone said the backpacks and supplies will go a long way toward ensuring that all of Dracut’s schoolchildren will have the necessary supplies as the school year moves forward.

(Dan Phelps is the Economic Development Planner for the Town of Dracut)