SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) — A local motorcycle group in western Mass rallied together for their annual Kids Safety Day on Sunday supporting the youth and families.
They provided certain necessities before heading back to school from backpacks, to notepads to pencils — all things kids need before heading back to school.
For the 13th year in a row, the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club in western Mass is providing these tools for kids and families in the community for free.
“We know with the low-income families they need school supplies and backpacks for school,” said Richard “Iceman” Gardner, president of the club.
With the coronavirus pandemic taking a toll on families in different ways, Gardner said it’s significant they do their part.
“We know there’s a need simply because parents aren’t working like they were before to buy the school supplies,” he said. “We know the need is still there and we choose to continue to do it for the 13th year in this complex.”
With cones spaced out for families and kids to come by from a distance to pick up their backpacks at the Colonial Estates Apartment in Springfield, Iceman said they aim to hand out 268 backpacks.
Despite many of these kids potentially learning from home this year, he said it’s still important for the kids to be prepared.
“You got notebooks, pencils, pens, notebooks, you know everything the kids are going to need,” he said.
This year, a couple of different items are being put into these backpacks for kids to take home.
“We’re providing information about the COVID-19 for the families and the kids,” he said. “We’re putting masks in every bag for the kids because we believe the family does have to be safe.”
He said their ultimate goal is to be an important resource for the community.
“Being homeschooled, the frustration of taking the time, we want to have them be prepared and it makes us feel awesome,” he said. “The people that’s here. We give from our hearts. We’re always going to give from our hearts. Thirteen years doing this so we’re going to keep it going.”
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Source: Western Mass News