By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
CLAREMONT, NH — Most school children don’t want to think about it yet, but the end of summer is upon us and the new school year is just around the corner. The public is invited to the annual SAU 6 Back to School Festival, where families can receive a free backpack and free clothing for new clothes in preparation for the first day of school.
“We are so excited to be back at Barnes Park for this amazing event,” said organizer Courtney Porter. “All Claremont schools will be there with booths so families have the opportunity to reach out to school staff.”
Porter said it’s important that families check in at their school’s booth so they can confirm any address or phone number changes and receive a ticket for a free backpack. National field representatives donate more than 500 backpacks filled with supplies, and she said they’ve been a big sponsor of the event for years.
“I don’t know if we would be able to distribute so many backpacks without them,” Porter said.
According to Porter, who has run the festival for the past 10 years, the event has been around for about 20 years. She said it has gradually evolved over the years as it changed locations in various city parks until it finally landed in Barnes Park. It regularly draws more than 1,000 people, including representatives from various local organizations and those who come to sort out the organizational aspects with schools and take advantage of some free items.
“This is a really great day for everyone involved,” Porter said. “It’s really about building that sense of community between students, families and our schools. We want everyone to feel like they’re part of something great happening with their child’s education. We can start the year on that positive note of how we’re going to make sure you have everything you need.”
Claremont Police and Fire Departments and Golden Cross Ambulance will be on site with their vehicles for the children to try out. Community organizations will also have booths. Students who are riding a bus for the first time in their lives will have the opportunity to board a bus and get familiar with the bus before the first day of school.
New this year is the opportunity for students to do a little “back-to-school shopping,” though all clothing is free. This is done through the Courtney’s Closet program, where Porter provides dozens of racks of clothing for families to browse through and add to their children’s wardrobes.
Courtney’s Closet was started by Porter 12 years ago when her office was still at Claremont Middle School. Back then, she filled lockers with various clothing items so she could provide resources to students. Now, she has more than 30 racks full of clothing, including boots, hats, shorts, pants, t-shirts, formal wear, prom clothes, school supplies, hygiene products and more.
Porter wanted this to be a one-stop shop to help alleviate some of the hurdles students and families face when returning to school.
“Nothing is free at this event,” Porter said. “I’m proud to hold this event in this way. I want families to feel comfortable knowing they can come to this event. They can get everything they need to help their students have a successful first day of school without paying a dime.”
Porter said students are “agents of change” who are doing great things and helping their community as a whole. This festival is designed to make their lives as easy as possible as they return to the classroom to continue their education.
“We want everyone here at SAU 6 to feel like part of a family,” she said.
The Back to School Festival will take place on August 24th from 10am to 12pm in Barnes Park.
