After a plea to Anson County businesses and the community for help with school supplies for needy children, the Anson County Chamber of Commerce has been inundated with donations, ranging from $5 here to $200 there.

By Wednesday, Sept. 9, the Chamber had already spent $650 on various school supplies, with a little over $1,100 to go.

"It's been very well received," said Chamber executive director Lynn Edwards, who added that she's been wanting to do something to help children who need school supplies for a while. "There are so many people out of work right now, and some of these kids are suffering as a result."

When Edwards first had the idea to hold a school supply drive just before school started Aug. 25, she contacted Anson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Greg Firn and asked what the biggest need was. Pencil and paper, he told her.

"I don't know if the average person knows just how much paper we go through," he said.

After receiving more than enough donations to help with those needs, Edwards contacted Firn and local schools' principals again to determine individual needs within each school. The result— not only reams and reams of lined paper and No. 2 pencils, but also glue sticks, rulers, crayons, chalk, notebooks, even Kinder Mats, the vinyl sleeping mats for children in kindergarten. Now there are enough supplies on hand to ensure that every child in Anson County has the appropriate supplies for his or her classes.

"These are the essentials, what every child needs in their classes," Firn said.

Pointed out Anson Board of Education chair Lisa Davis, "Imagine the difference it makes to the child to have the same supplies as the other kids."

"It would just break my heart to know that there's a child sitting there in class who doesn't have pencils and paper," Edwards added.

Edwards said when she was shopping in Walmart, she was purchasing so many items that she needed four buggies. "I was so happy and excited shopping for these kids," she said.

Donations will continue to be accepted throughout the year, Edwards said. For more information, contact the Chamber at 704-694-4181 or e-mail ansonchamber@windstream.net.