School supplies in demand in Manatee

MANATEE — Two thousand dollars.

That’s how much Witt Elementary teacher Gail Garger says she shells out for her kindergarten class each school year.

Crayons, construction paper and coloring books. The weekly craft supply is pricey.

Then there’s the $150 rug — an educational tool used to learn letters and numbers.

“Teachers are spending fools. We spend like idiots,” said Garger, who has taught for 27 years. “I look at my classroom and there’s thousands of dollars of stuff here that is all mine. But it’s good stuff.”

From snacks to supplies, teachers across Manatee County dip into their own pockets for their students. But amid the sour economy and a shrinking school budget, the educators sometimes struggle to provide those items.

Adding to the mix, it has been a rough year for some organizations collecting donated supplies for both teachers and students.

The Wishing Well, which offers Manatee County School District teachers free classroom supplies, is seeing fewer new donations.

And the Anna Gayle Center in Palmetto, which gave out backpacks during a back-to-school bash for 13 straight years, couldn’t host the event this year because it didn’t get donations.

So the district is teaming up with area businesses to make sure teachers and students have what they need.

“We want to partner with the community and look for ways to make it easier for people to work with us,” said Dawn Lengel, the district’s coordinator of community involvement. “We’re always looking for innovative ways on the inside to meet their needs.”

Most recently, the district teamed up with Manatee Community Federal Credit Union, 604 13th Ave. E. in Bradenton.

On Wednesday, the credit union put out a barrel in its lobby for school supply donations. As an incentive, everyone who brings in a cash donation or $5 worth of school supplies has their name entered in a drawing to win a Nintendo Wii this December

“We want to keep this going all year,” said Suanne White, spokeswoman for the credit union. “After we give the Wii away, we’ll have something else out there to give away.”

Other district efforts include a recent partnership with the OfficeMax on U.S. 41. The store donates to the district merchandise it is no longer going to carry. Since teaming with the district last year, the store has donated about $5,000 in supplies.

Office Depot also has on ongoing program with the district.

People who make purchases can request that 5 percent of the total purchase go back into the school of their choice.

At the Wishing Well, used items like buttons, yarn and children’s books are still pouring in, said Renee Hayes, a district employee who oversees it.

And it’s staying busy.

At a Sept. 4 open house, 108 teachers showed up to collect free items.

“You never know what you’re gonna find,” Hayes said.

Teachers say it’s helpful, but that sometimes items are hit or miss.