Youngwood Wireless Zone to host annual backpack giveaway Aug. 1

The Youngwood Wireless Zone will donate school supplies to local families in its third annual School Rocks Backpack Giveaway.

The Wireless Zone is an authorized Verizon retailer with 59 locations in Pennsylvania. Fifteen of the locations are participating in the giveaway, which launched in 2013.

According to a press release, the giveaway will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 1 at participating locations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines will be maintained during the event.

Backpacks containing pencils, paper, a pencil box, folders and glue will be distributed while supplies last on a first-come, first- served basis. Families can receive one backpack per child, and the child must be present to get it.

Kristen Bruckner, co-owner of the Youngwood Wireless Zone, said the store typically donates about 100 backpacks annually. She estimates a similar turnout this year.

Additionally, this year’s event will mark more than 1.2 million backpacks donated across all Wireless Zone locations since the event’s start up in 2013. Bruckner said the participating Wireless Zone locations purchase the backpacks and supplies for the giveaway.

Bruckner owns nine Wireless Zone locations across central Pennsylvania with her husband, Eric. She said the Youngwood store has participated in this giveaway since 2019 “to be involved with the community and help out parents and families.”

Bruckner added that the program is even more important this year due to the financial challenges families have experienced during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We think, especially at this time when budgets are tight, it’s important to offer the community one less thing that they have to spend money on,” Bruckner said. “We kind of like to see the happy faces.”

The Youngwood Wireless Zone is located 250 S. Third St. in Youngwood. The Connellsville store, located at 812 Vanderbilt Road, also will participate in the giveaway.