Games are piled up behind Marilyn Malkmus at a previous Project Santa Claus.
Since originating in Douglas County 27 years ago, Project School Days has provided thousands of students and teachers with much-needed school supplies to help support academic success. The effort was originally spearheaded in 1998 by longtime Carson Valley residents Marilyn Malkmus and Alis Nalder to benefit families experiencing financial hardship.
The organization has since evolved into a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that operates entirely through donations and volunteers. The mission statement of Project School Days is, “A Helping Hand for The Greatest Asset Douglas County Has - Our Children.”
Though both Malkmus and Nalder have since passed on, their legacy remains.
“These two women were pioneers,” said Debbie McNeil, a retired DCSD schoolteacher and one of the current coordinators of the project. “They wanted to make a difference and initiated this whole program to make sure that every student started out with the same advantages.”
Over the years, Malkmus and Nalder worked diligently to reach as many students as possible and streamline the process for donation requests. They established a timeframe to send inquiry letters out to the Douglas County School District Superintendent and administrators at all DCSD elementary, middle, and high schools, and eventually expanded the program to youth organizations that have since included Austin’s House, CASA, and China Spring Youth Camp.
Administrators and teachers can submit confidential requests for supplies to help students who would benefit from support in obtaining items for school. These items can include everything from binders, pencils, and backpacks to calculators, notebooks, and pencil pouches.
Originally, all of the school supplies gathered throughout the year were kept in a barn on Malkmus’ property for safekeeping prior to distribution. As the program expanded and collections increased, a local church stepped in to provide a space large enough to accommodate the growing number of items.
McNeil and retired DCSD educators Cindy DeBlose and Bud Perkins currently lead the annual Project School Days program. The committee sent donation letters out in the middle of July, and a group of committed volunteers made up of community members and retired teachers gathered to fulfill the shopping requests in August. All items were delivered to each site during the second week of school.
Organizers commented on the kindness of the local community and shared that a number of people made on-the-spot donations when they saw Project School Days volunteers out and about purchasing items. DeBlose said the organization’s efforts are made possible through donations from local businesses, individuals, and service clubs, many of whom have been making annual contributions since Project School Days began.
The group is already looking forward to next year and is currently taking advantage of the Back-to-School sales. Anyone wanting to contribute may send a check to Project School Days, C/O Debbie McNeil, P.O. Box 513, Gardnerville NV 89410.
Amy Roby can be reached at ranchosroundup@hotmail.com.
