Marshall County Schools Holds Annual Fun Fair
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All hands were on deck for Marshall County Schools employees on Wednesday, as they made sure enough pencils, pens, notebooks and more were available for students during the 24th annual Marshall County Back 2 School Fun Fair.
The fair was held from 9 a.m. until noon in the Moundsville Center at the former West Virginia State Penitentiary. The event prepares children in the county to head back to school, providing everything from haircut coupons to health check-ups.
Marshall County Schools employee Susie Baker, who started the Fun Fair in 2000, noted while setting up on Tuesday that the event serves as a "hand-up, not a handout."
"It's important that everyone starting school knows that no matter their income guidelines, they can start with dignity," Baker said. "It's important that everyone starts school on the same page."
The Fun Fair is open to any Marshall County Schools student from pre-K through 12th grade accompanied by an adult. During the event, parents and children will line up at the front of tables filled with school supplies to add whatever they need for the coming school year to the free backup each attendee receives.
The event will also provide families with other items, such as food, toiletries and clothes, to help students succeed. The Marshall County Health Department will provide health check-ups at the event. Dental check-ups and coupons for free haircuts will also be available.
"We usually do free haircuts here, but we decided to hand out coupons so students can get their haircut closer to the school start," Baker said. "That's quite a plus."
Baker noted that the event also helps children get excited for the school year to begin in under three weeks through activities such as face painting and Buster the Bus being in attendance.
A breakfast of milk and doughnuts will also be available for attendees.
In addition to what Marshall County Schools will provide parents and students, 65 local agencies will be at the event to provide resources and help to families.
The Marshall County Library, WVU Marshall County Extension Service, Marshall County Family Resource Network, Marshall County Federal Credit Union, Marshall County Health Department, the Marshall County Strings Program, the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, the Marshall County Assessor’s Office, Shoe Sensation, Girl Scouts of the USA, Boy Scouts of America and Wesbanco are among the agencies participating in this year's fair.
With many resources and activities available at the fair, Baker and other Marshall County Schools employees began setting up at 8:30 a.m. yesterday to prepare for the influx of families once the doors open for the event.
Baker added that on Tuesday, she was aiming to finish setting up by noon so she could make another trip to Walmart to pick up any supplies the fair was short on.
"I shop for them to make sure everyone has what they need," Baker noted. "If families are late to the fair or we run out of what they need, I take their name after and shop for them."
Baker's and other Marshall County employees' efforts in organizing the event paid off last year, as more than 1,9000 families participated in last year's fair. Baker noted that "so many families" attending the event has paid off for teachers in Marshall County classrooms.
"I had a teacher tell me that last year was the first time in 35 years she had her entire class ready for school on the first day," Baker said. "I've had kids who have missed school in the past because of dental problems be able to get their teeth checked and fixed so they didn't have to miss as much class for dental issues. We've had three people get scoliosis surgery from Shriners Hospital for Children through the fair."
Baker noted that she has also seen some new faces at the fair, as new families in the county take advantage of it.
"Last year and the year before, we saw different people, which was great because, for a long time, we were seeing the same families over and over," Baker said. "As more people have moved in town, we get different families. It's wonderful to see these different faces, and I'm so happy and thankful parents bring their kids and wait in that long line to get supplies."
Sponsors for this year's Fun Fair include Straub Ford, Glendale Motors, Kalkreuth Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Rohrig Financial, Wheeling State Farm Agent Lorri Grisell, Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union and the Marshall County Credit Union.