Backpack drive underway for Fernley students in need

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

As summer vacation for Fernley students begins to wind down, Amber’s Backpack Club is gearing back up.

The program, started five years ago by Fernley’s Amber Edwards, is a drive to provide backpacks and school supplies to children in Fernley whose families are struggling.

The program works similar to a Christmas Angel Tree, where Edwards gets the names of students who need backpacks, and volunteers can choose a tag describing what grade the student is in and whether it is for a boy or girl. The volunteer then purchases a backpack and fills it with supplies.

Fitness for 10 is again working with Amber’s Backpack Club. Anyone wishing to help out a student in need may stop by Fitness for 10 to pick a backpack with the child’s gender and grade.

Backpacks need to be returned by Aug. 15. See the front desk at Fitness for 10 for complete details.

Edwards has done the program for the past five years. Fitness for 10 has helped the last two years with getting backpacks. The program usually helps around 50 kids each year.