Honoring Friend Through United Way

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Students at this year’s United Way School Supply Drive make it a little more special than years past.

Thousands of pencils and schools supplies are being packed up for the 17th annual United Way drive to help students in this upcoming school year.

United Way of Cass-Clay Kelly Rotar said,”School supplies are expensive so if you can’t afford school supplies and you go to school with nothing on your first day it’s not a good experience.”

The goal is to have 5,200 backpacks filled and given to students this year, today 30 recent graduates took to volunteering.

These students aren’t just coming together to help out local kids in the community

Some students said…”He loved school.”, “He was such an intelligent guy.”

Just last December Sreejon Lala, died in a car accident south of Fargo.

In remembrance of their son, his parents are donating funds to the United Way School Supply Drive, and his friends are donating their time.

Decided to lead the volunteering Davies graduate Maria Slette said, “I thought that helping other students get the tools to succeed in school was really something he would enjoy it.”

It’s been tough for Addy Johnson not seeing her good friend in the halls at school, “The love he had for education was so inspiring and he was such an amazing person.”

Staff say their inspired by the students volunteering.

“They’re really just here to honor him and that’s incredible,”said Rotar.

And his friend said Sreejon changed their lives.

“He made you want to be a better person, and his memory is going to live on forever, and that’s what were here for,”said Johnson.

Although Sreejon will not be going to college like his classmates, he will be in spirit as they carry along their friend in their memory.

To receive one of these backpacks bring a form of ID for each child and fill out a form here

You can pick up the supplies on these dates:

Saturday, August 8th
8 am-11:30 am
FARGODOME (1800 North University Drive, Fargo)

Tuesday, August 11th
4-7:00 pm
FARGODOME (1800 North University Drive, Fargo)