By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Volunteers at various locations in Hays will be collecting donated items Friday that have been purchased for the annual Backpack for Kids collection day.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, representatives from First Call for Help and Nex-Tech will be at Walmart, Walgreens and Dollar General collecting donated back-to-school items for kids in Ellis County.

Laura Shoaff with First Call for Help said the group is asking people to donate backpacks, school supplies and hygiene items.

Shoaff said they are looking for watercolor paints, wide-ruled notebook paper, plastic school boxes and ruled note cards. She added there is a wide variety of items they can use.

Nex-Tech employees will be at all three locations with a list of need items and they will help collect items to fill the backpacks.

Shoaff also said if people cannot donate items or make a make a monetary donation Friday, they can do so in person at the First Call for Help office at the Hadley Center.

Nex-Tech employees present the donated items on July 21 and the distribution day for those who registered is Aug. 6.

Shoaff said any child in Ellis County is eligible to receive a backpack. To register your child for a backpack, contact First Call for Help at (785) 623-2800 or visit http://firstcallelliscounty.com/Backpacks-for-Kids. The deadline to sign up is July 24.

If they have any backpacks left over, Shoaff said they can be picked up Aug. 7.

Last year, the group gave away 600 backpacks to children in Ellis County.