Clubs for Kids rally helps youth in ‘Conway Cluster’ of schools

Back-to-school fever’s running high, before a new academic year begins Aug. 17 in Horry and Georgetown counties, and Aug. 29 in Brunswick County.

Clubs for Kids: Conway will have its third annual “Back to School Rally,” noon-5 p.m. Saturday at the Smith-Jones Recreation Center, off U.S. 378 in Conway. The event is geared to families with students attending Horry County Schools’ “Conway cluster,” especially households with a greater financial need. This group of schools – five elementary, two middle, and one high, charter, vocational, adult education, and alternative school each – serve more than 5,800 students collectively, said Eugene Bellamy Jr., coordinator of this “C4K” rally.

Speaking in late July, the eighth-grade math teacher from Loris High School shared the credit for this afternoon of family fun, inflatables and entertainment. He said this all started with inspiration from founders Tenika Evans-Pee and Keven Shaw, who also sponsor a similar event in Marion – and that C4K’s Conway outing grows, thanks to a slew of sponsors including UPWARD (United People Working Against Random Obstruction).

Question | What prompted the genesis for this Back to School rally back in 2014?

Answer | Our whole focus was trying to bridge the divide between schools and the community, and bringing a village together.

Q. | With this list of school supplies sought, are there particular items for which the need is greater, maybe items overlooked or forgotten too easily?

A. | We’re always aiming for the basic items. ... We try to really zone in on supplies such as paper, pencils, markers, crayons, pens and composition notebooks – those basic things that students need in school.

Q. | What have become the most important supplies to collect and pass out?

A. | Paper and pencils.

Q. | About how many youth have been helped through previous outreach?

A. | Last year, with Clubs for Kids events in Conway, North Myrtle Beach and Marion, we gave away about 900 backpacks of supplies.

Q. | As the calendar heads into August, and more donations and sponsors are sought, how large is the roster of entities taking part in the Conway event for this year?

A. | We have about 35 individual sponsors, 20 business sponsors, and 15 clubs and organizations. ... We’re trying to reach out to the American Red Cross to get a blood drive. We like presenting a lot of resources and information for the community and groups to take part. ... To have the level of vendors of community resources, we just want to get their information to the public.

Q. | What else makes such an event so special, showing how such teamwork pays off to make a difference for local youth and residents?

A. | In the last hour, we give away the book bags to students, and the supplies are grouped by elementary, middle and high schools. We also give the students each a hot dog, a bag of chips, and a beverage.

Q. | How reassuring is seeing members of the community hopping in line to help out with what has become an annual end-of-summer event in a lovely setting in Conway?

A. | Every year, it gets bigger, and this will be our biggest year by far.

This story was originally published August 7, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Clubs for Kids rally helps youth in ‘Conway Cluster’ of schools."