GIV workers help kids back to school

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

The new school year will be much brighter for 49 children in Bland and Wythe counties. Thanks to GIV employees and their parent company, each child received new clothes, athletic shoes and a Jansport bookbag filled with school supplies.
GIV’s annual back-to-school program benefited the Presbyterian Children’s Home of the Highlands Inc., the Paul Miller Home in Northfork, W.Va., and several local children not eligible for social services assistance. The 240 employees of the Bastian medical supply company “adopted” the children and raised the money through various ways including bake sales.
Henry Schein Inc. of New York donated all the new bookbags. The Fortune 500 Company acquired GIV around 10 years ago.
“Our employees raised enough money to spend $100 per child for clothing,” noted Laura B. Hall, executive assistant to the vice president and general manager at GIV and team coordinator. “They held a variety of fundraisers and some donated money to the program. Everyone is so supportive.”
The teams raised enough money for three new outfits of clothing per child, new socks and underwear and new athletic shoes. They also bought new coats for each one.
According to Hall, employees volunteered to do the shopping. They were given the ages, sizes, favorite colors and favorite sports teams of each child, too.
School supplies included notebooks, paper, pencils, erasers, scissors, rulers, crayons, glue, glue sticks, markers and folders.
There was enough money to sponsor a carnival last Thursday in the Bastian Union Church Park. Thirty-three of the children attended to receive their back-to-school supplies.
Staffed by 25 GIV volunteers, the event included a free pizza lunch with chips and drinks, cotton candy and snow cones. Games were played and prizes awarded as were $15 gift cards to Wal-Mart.
“The kids were thrilled,” noted Hall. “One little girl about 12 years old came up to me and asked if she could shake my hand. It is heartwarming to know we’ve been able to help these kids and how much they appreciate it.”
Charlie Herbert, GIV human resource manager, added, “I don’t know who benefited the most from it, the children served or the people who served them. I think it’s a tremendous program, truly beneficial.”
“The people at GIV are so supportive of what we do,” said Billy Rice, executive director of the Presbyterian Children’s Home of the Highlands Inc. “Words cannot express our appreciation for the generosity and love they show our residents here. We greatly appreciate it.”
GIV employees are readying for their Holiday Cheer program. Their first fundraiser will be the fall golf tournament at the Wolf Creek Golf and Country Club.
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 1-800-655-1406 or .