Families can get their kids off to a great start to the school year at the 2009 Stop the Violence/Back to School Rally set for Saturday, August 15th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the O’Connell Center.
For the tenth straight year a community group called People Against Violence Enterprises (PAVE) will be hosting the event, which usually draws between 3000 and 5000 people. The event, sponsored by a variety of businesses and community organizations, including primary sponsor Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. offers educational sessions, food, games, and entertainment. The purpose of the rally is to give parents and students important tips on preventing violence in neighborhoods, homes and schools. This year’s theme is ‘Respect You, Respect Me,’ and the focus will be on preventing domestic and relationship violence.
Meridian will also provide the first 1000 children attending the fair with free backpacks filled with school supplies.
“The backpacks are a great incentive, but we know that the most important thing the kids will take away from the fair is the message that respecting others and rejecting violence is the best way to go,” said Rev. Karl Anderson, who coordinates and founded the event.
Alachua County Public Schools will again be partnering with PAVE this year to hold the district’s annual Back to School Fair in conjunction with the Stop the Violence Rally. District staff will be on hand to provide families attending the event with school bus schedules, calendars, school supply lists and other important back-to-school information.
“Kids and families will hear great messages about non-violence, but they’ll also be able to get all the basic information they’ll need to have a smooth start to the school year,” said district public information officer Jackie Johnson, who is coordinating the district’s presence at the fair.
As part of the Stop the Violence/Back to School Rally, the Leadership Gainesville Alumni Association (LGAA) will also be providing backpacks, supplies and clothing to eligible students who have graduated from the Head Start program. This is the 14th year the LGAA has sponsored the giveaway program for Head Start graduates.
Other local agencies will also be on hand to provide vital services and information. For example, the Alachua County Health Department will be offering free school immunizations and information on signing up for low-cost health insurance. Health Department staff members will also be sharing information about the upcoming Flu Mist vaccination program, a community-wide effort to immunize all elementary and middle school students against the flu for free while they’re at school. The Early Learning Coalition will also be registering children for free pre-kindergarten programs in the community.
Local businesses and other organizations interested in sponsoring or having a presence at the event can contact Brecka Anderson at breckaanderson@hotmail.com or at (352) 339-3851 no later than August 7th. Depending on their level of support, businesses can set up a booth and/or have flyers inserted in the free backpacks distributed to families.
For more information on the event, contact Karl Anderson at (352) 336-0503, Jackie Johnson at (352) 955-7253, ext. 228 or Bruna Herbert (352) 374-5600 x8255.