By SAM COOLEY

The Natchez Democrat

VIDALIA — In an attempt to help teachers get ready for the upcoming school year, First Baptist Church, Vidalia, is conducting the For Vidalia Education Teachers Supply Drive that aims to give school supplies to teachers in the Vidalia school system.Collection boxes are set up in the church office’s foyer at 100 N. Hickory St., Vidalia; Reed Insurance at 107 Carter St., Vidalia; and 1642 Carter St. No. 3, Vidalia.

The church has held teacher supply drives in the past, but not on the scale of this year’s drive, organizers say. This year’s goal is to fill five large boxes with school supplies before sending them to Vidalia schools.

Organizers said they hope the effort will help teachers not to worry as much about purchasing new supplies for their students.

“The whole church is involved with this drive so that we can help teachers and the kids,” said Allie Laborde, church secretary. “When the kids are at the school, and they run out of pencils and paper the teachers need to buy this stuff, but we are just doing this drive to show our support for our teachers and help them in any way we can.”

The supply drive started on June 10 and will run through July 29. Requested supplies include wide-ruled, loose leaf paper, dry erase markers, dry erase board cleaners, Clorox wipes, paper clips, sticky notes, staples (standard size), colored pens, inexpensive headphones (not earbuds), Band-Aids, pencils and treats, though other school-related supplies also will be accepted.

The most-needed items, organizers said, are pencils and dry erase markers, as teachers use those throughout the year and most do not last long. Other items that are important to teachers are Clorox wipes and headphones, as both are more expensive than normal school supplies.

For more information, contact the church at 318-336-7111.