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BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENT ARMS STUDENTS WITH SUPPLIES

By Erin France/ OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Saturday, August 15, 2009 10:18 PM CDT

Central Park offered one-stop shopping for lunch and back-to-school supplies Saturday — without the payment part.

“We’re just doing our part to give back to the community,” said Pine Bluff Fire and Emergency Services Lt. Shauwn Howell.

Howell is a member of BRAVE, a local chapter of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters.

He and his comrades used Central Park Saturday to give away about 2,500 bags of school supplies.

This is the fifth time BRAVE has held the event, said chapter president and Pine Bluff firefighter Johnnie Brown.

“Our members actually got started at the beginning of the week,” he said.

Sponsors of the program range from Central Arkansas Orthodontic Associates, Wal-Mart, Novel T’s, Congressman Mike Ross (D-Prescott), and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Brown said. The cost is about $6,000, he added.

“We enjoy what we’re looking at right now,” he said. “We incorporated a fun day for the kids.”

Hot dogs and bottled water were served for lunch as music played and students, still a few days away from school, romped.

The Pine Bluff Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, and other community organization also attended the event.

“We basically try to incorporate all of the community in this event,” Brown said. “This year we have an overabundance of volunteers.”

Howell said sponsors and volunteers make the program successful.

“We couldn’t do this by ourselves,” he said.

One of the main coordinators for the back-to-school giveaway is BRAVE’s vice president and Pine Bluff Fire Lt. Mozell Gipson.

“That’s my baby every year,” he said.

The first year, Gipson said the department handed out a little more than 260 packages. Now, they’ve grown to distributing about 2,500 bags.

Gipson said the back-to-school event is one way the fire department shows it cares for residents.

“If you did not love people, you would not be a fireman,” he said. “We will always give back to you guys.”

Rita Lawrence of Pine Bluff brought her grandchildren who are headed to pre-school, 8th and 9th grades.

“I think it’s awesome,” she said. “It gets them beefed up for school.”

Kourtnei Lawrence, Rita’s granddaughter going to 8th grade in the Watson Chapel School District, said she likes the event for more than the supplies.

“It’s fun,” she said. “You get to see people from school.”

And the extra supplies come in handy for the family, she said.

“It takes a lot off your parents,” she said.

Pine Bluff Interim Fire Chief James Brown surveyed some of the events from a shady spot.

“Giving back to the community, to me, is a part of the requirements,” he said.

“The BRAVEs in their effort to do this touch the lives of young children.”

James Brown looked at the children peering into their bags and chasing each other through the grass.

“This — this is our future.”

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