The staff at Under the Magic Pine Tree day care center is looking for cash donations to buy each of their 11 preschool graduates backpacks to use when they enter kindergarten in fall.
"We wanted to send them off prepared and decided to do backpacks," said assistant preschool teacher Sarah Norried. "We told the parents and they're really excited."
The backpacks will be filled pencils, rulers and other school supplies.
"I'm getting a Ninja Turtles one," said James Norried, whose great-grandmother Patsy Pumphrey and grandfather Robert Pumphrey have donated to the backpack project. The school started with $100 and was notified that East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts Station 14 was making a cash donation to be delivered by the Gardnerville Ranchos Station 7 crew in one of their fire trucks.
"They're giving us money to get some 'packpacks,'" said Kylee Newton, 5.
The preschool children graduate June 1.
If donations exceed what is needed for backpacks, the preschool will gladly accept donations for art supplies or buckets, shovels or other items for outside activities.
For information on how to donate to Under the Magic Pine Tree, contact April Cannoy or Sarah Norried at 265-2023.
