Fergus Falls Community Pulls Together to Get Local Kids School-Ready

Blessing Closet is hosting its second annual school drive

FERGUS FALLS, MINN. — It’s the ordinary school supplies shopping trip… at a not–so–ordinary shop.

“We are opening up our doors for the community kids that are in need of school supplies. They’re going to come with their school supplies list, and we’re going to give them a backpack with what they need,” said event organizer Shawna Zelinsky.

Community members and neighbors pulled together to donate the supplies to Blessing Closet, a local organization that takes donations of gently used clothes, toys, and household items to give back to the community.

“We were worried about how we would get the supplies together for school, and a friend of mine told me about this and I was surprised,” said school drive shopper Amanda Hanson.

Surprised… and inspired to give back.

“We knew we were going to be here, and we had a yard sale yesterday, and we figured whatever we didn’t sell, we would donate considering that they were donating to us,” she said.

They say this sense of unity and selflessness isn’t found everywhere.

“This town is giving and giving and giving, and it means a lot when people have kids,” said community member Happy Trites.

“We band together to help get what we need for the kids and for other kids,” added Hanson.

Their reward is simple, but enough.

“Just seeing the kids happy and just knowing that more of our community kids are going to be going to school ready to learn, and they’re our future, so it’s really important that they have what they need to get the education that they need,” said Zelinsky.

Blessing Closet is located on Stanton Avenue.

This is the organization’s second annual school drive.