Union College sophomore Jordan White slings a backpack over each shoulder and then lifts four more from the truck in front of Flat Lick Elementary. He and the rest of the men’s basketball team hurry to avoid the rain as they carry load after load into the school gym.
“These backpacks are fully stocked for the kids,” says head coach, Kevin Burton.
Each bag is stuffed with ready-to-eat or microwavable food, winter clothes, school supplies, and basic hygiene items, like toothpaste. They also include, as Burton puts it, “fun little toys [the kids] are completely enamored with.”
James McDonald organizes the local Christmas Backpack Program as part of his missionary work with the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Raised in Knox County himself, he knows “how hard it can be growing up and not knowing if you’ll get anything for Christmas.”
Churches all across Kentucky donate the needed supplies, and local organizers like McDonald rely on volunteers for the labor. McDonald makes sure each school he visits receives enough backpacks for each student. “Nobody likes to be left out,” he says.
When McDonald partnered with East Barbourville Baptist Church to launch the program in 2017, Coach Burton immediately volunteered the men’s basketball team to help. Now, McDonald says, “[The Bulldogs’] role in the program is vital.”
“The amount of labor it takes to do this is enormous,” McDonald explains. “You can imagine what it takes to load and unload 2,400 backpacks that are up to 30 or 40 pounds each.”
Union’s baseball team is pitching in this year, too. Along with heavy lifting, the college students hand out the backpacks directly to the elementary school kids.
Baseball coach Chris Lewis says the backpack program is “very special” and that “it was really an honor to be asked to play a small part.”
“We have a tremendous group of young men in our program,” he adds, “who understand and appreciate the gift of service.”
This year, for the first time, the Christmas Backpack Program is able to serve all seven Knox County elementary schools.
Dwayne Smith, Dewitt Elementary Principal says the timing of these deliveries is very intentional, as the supplies will be used over Christmas break. “It's something these kids look forward to every year,” he says.
It’s been a busy week for the Bulldogs. In addition to volunteering at multiple elementary schools for the Christmas Backpack Program, they've had final exams, team practices, and away games to keep up with. Senior basketball player Jay Falls says it’s worth it, though.
“It’s important to us to give back,” says Falls, “because you get your blessings by being a blessing to someone else.
