NIAGARA, Wis. — With the start of another school year just around the corner, the Niagara Lions will again join the state Lions organization’s “Stuff the Bus” campaign to collect school supplies that will go to needy Niagara children.

The “Stuff the Bus” collection point will be in the parking lot of Northwoods IGA where the Lions will have a bus parked on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to collect school supplies. As in the past, cash donations to be used to purchase additional school supplies by Niagara teachers, will also be accepted.

Over the past several years the Niagara Lions has joined nearly 100 other Lions Clubs from around the state in their very successful effort to collect school supplies for children in their communities.

“Last year we had a great response from the community as we collected at least 14 large boxes of assorted school supplies and an additional number of back packs for kids were collected and all supplies collected went to the school for teachers to distribute to needy Niagara students,” said Niagara Lions President Gordon Behnke.

In addition, about $1,600 in cash donations were received that teachers used to purchase additional needed school supplies.

Behnke went on to thank kindergarten teacher Betsy St. Arnauld and other Niagara teachers who have assisted the effort and have provided the Lions with information about what items would be especially useful this year.

Those items include large backpacks, spiral notebooks, loose-leaf notebook paper, pocket folders, only #2 Ticonderoga pencils, colored pencils, pencil boxes, ballpoint pens, markers of all kinds, including Sharpies, anti-bacterial wipes, baby wipes, 3-ring binders, compasses, crayons, facial tissue, glue sticks, paper towels, pink erasers, rulers, scissors, Elmer’s white washable school glue, Dry Erase markers, small staplers and staples, White-Out, and Ziploc bags in various sizes.

All supplies collected here will go to Niagara students only. The complete list of supplies needed by grade level may be found on the Niagara School District website at www.niagara.k12.wi.us.

For those unable to attend on Saturday, donations may be dropped off earlier in the week at Forward Financial Credit Union in Niagara.

Over the eight years Lions have sponsored “Stuff the Bus,” over $2 million in school supplies has been collected and donated to Wisconsin needy school children.