ELYRIA — Nathan Burton’s favorite color is brown but he settled for blue.
“I like all colors,” the bright-eyed five-year-old said with a grin after he picked out a brand new book bag from a table stacked high with them at the Elyria Salvation Army today.
The boy was one of dozens who came through the organization’s gymnasium to take advantage of a free book bag and school supplies giveaway made possible by Huntington Bank, whose northeast Ohio employees purchased or gave money to buy notepads, folders, crayons and other supplies to fill the bags.
The Elyria Salvation Army on Broad Street was to give away 1,000 book bags from 10 to noon today and Friday, and 1 to 3 p.m. today, according to the agency’s Dale Jones.
“This is a good thing, especially for kids who come to school without the basics,” he said. “It really helps low income families, of those with no income.”
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Amanda Burton called the effort “awesome.”
“I’m so glad they did it here,” the Elyria mother said, looking on at her son, and daughter, Autumn, 7, who was coming back Friday to pick out her bag.
“Probably black or pink,” she said.
“It’s getting extremely expensive,” Amanda Burton said. “Even though you buy supplies now, they run out midway during the year and then you have to buy more, and there’s all of your other bills to deal with.”
