Richmond County Schools will partner with BB&T to make sure children in need have adequate school supplies to start the school year.

The ‘School Tools’ School Supply Drive runs the month of August and provides ways people can donate school supplies. The ‘Stuff the Bus’ event will be held at Wal-Mart this weekend, Friday and Saturday. A yellow school bus is stuffed with school supplies people have donated, and they can donate money as well.

The windows of the bus are covered with advertisements companies can buy to help sponsor the program. The money from the sponsorships goes directly toward buying school supplies from Wal-Mart, said Ashley Simmons, director of public information for Richmond County Schools. She said last year they collected $1,500 from sponsorships, with an extra $300 donated on site during the event.

Simmons said they expect to raise a total of $1,750 this year.

This year’s bus window sponsors include Piedmont Natural Gas, Time Warner Cable, Dieffenbach, Four Oaks Bank, Golden Rule, Richmond Service League, All Saints Episcopal Church, Gandy Animal Hospital, Sealed Air, Brown Termite, Big K, LP Gas Company and Manness Tire & Auto.

“Wal-Mart is generous. They let us use the space for the event and they provide workers to help load the supplies we buy with the donated money,” Simmons said.

Michelle Parrish of the United Way of Richmond County said 30 people will help-out on Friday and 20 people will volunteer on Saturday. Boy Scout troops will take turns helping to stuff the bus. Andy’s will be providing the volunteers with lunch.

There are other ways to donate money and school supplies to Richmond County Schools. School Tools drop-off locations consist of 10 bins placed around the county at BB&T branches, Ellerbe Town Hall, Hamlet City Hall and Library, Leath Memorial Library, the Richmond County Daily Journal, Richmond County Schools central office, Rockingham City Hall, Time Warner Cable and WAYN 900 a.m.

The postal collection will begin on Aug. 21 and provides people with a way to donate school supplies without leaving home.

Postmaster Brian Frazier of the Rockingham Post Office said to simply place the items you wish to donate in your mailbox. If you wish to donate more than will fit, place the items in a bag and hang them from the mailbox. He says this is the 13th year the post office has collected school supplies. The donations are handed over to Richmond County Schools.

Parrish said that last year guidance counselors sent in a list of children in need, but this year the counselors will distribute the supplies to children who come to them and request the supplies.

This year, people can also donate money online through www.richmond.k12.nc.us.

For more information on how to donate money or school supplies to Richmond County Schools contact Ashley Simmons at 910-582-5860.

Dawn Kurry can be reached at dkurry@yourdailyjournal.com or by calling 997-3111 ext. 15.