Children Receive Free School Supplies at Back2School Jam

Kids gathered recently at Sylvan Park for gifts, but not because it was Christmas. The City of Redlands hosted its Back2School Jam, where kids in kindergarten through third grade were given bicycles and backpacks full of school supplies. Members of the Redlands Police Department, Redlands Fire Department, Micah House and various other local businesses, churches, community groups and City and County agencies helped give away the supplies, donated by the University of Redlands, from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 3. Families were joined by infamous pirate Captain Jack Sparrow of Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series fame, as well as Disney characters Tinker Bell and Snow White, and they enjoyed free food, refreshments and music, to boot. Activity booths sprawled across Sylvan Park, where kids learned balloon-figure making and jumped in blow-up castles. The Redlands Police and Fire Departments performed a rodeo show to explain how to ride bikes to and from school safely. A bicycle raffle gave away 25 bicycles. The Back2School Jam was held in conjunction with the Redlands Community Cleanup day, which ran from 8 a.m. to noon on Aug. 2. Neighborhood cleanup locations included Post Street and Brockton Avenue, Cook Street and Cero Court, The Terrace, Citrus Avenue and Kaye Court and Second Baptist church on the 400 block of East Stuart Street. Each child or teen who participated in the cleanup efforts received a free backpack and school supplies. Redlands police officer and event coordinator Elyzabeth Green said, “I wanted to do something for the children of this community by motivating them and giving away school supplies and everything else they need before their first day of school. It is important to keep our children motivated so they can do and be great, as well as stay focused,” she said. Children in the Redlands Unified School District began their 2013–2014 school year on Aug. 14.