Mars Candy Land giving away backpacks, supplies to community
MARS — Mars Candy Land is giving away backpacks and school supplies to students in need during regular hours for the next two weeks at its location downtown.
The candy store will give away free ice cream on Aug. 21 for a “Back to School Ice Cream Day” event.
“If you need a book bag with supplies, just simply ask. We do not ask anything more,” a post on the store's Facebook page reads. “This is for ANYONE needing one and in ANY community.”
Pammie Erskine, owner of Mars Candy Land, said she hopes that community members take advantage of the giveaway.
“We're hoping for a good result from this for people who need it,” she said.
Originally, the giveaway was scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Erskine said, but was expanded for ease of access.
“We heard back from parents that it was too hard with work schedules,” she said. “We figure we'll have it for a couple weeks, and that way we're giving the backpacks up till school starts.”
The giveaway grew out of Mars Candy Land's “Kindness Board” project, a board where customers can leave an extra dollar for children or other customers who might be short on cash. Erskine started the board after speaking with a customer who had forgotten her wallet upon walking into the store.“I noticed a lot of borough kids would come in without money for candy,” she said. “I didn't want people to be embarrassed, but now, over time, we have a lot of regulars.”Erskine said the board has seen more than $700 pass through it since she started the project.“There's adults who use it, and they come back in and they leave money the next time they come in,” she said. “It gets utilized in every way. Kids love it because they come in and they know that they can use it, and adults know they can use it too.”She said that children often use and add to the board themselves, which “gives her goose bumps.“It's a community effort,” she said. “Everybody knows (the Kindness Board) now, it's become a norm.”
Erskine said that local residents and organizations also donated supplies and backpacks to provide to community members.“We had tons of followers on our Facebook donate everything from markers (to) crayons, pencils,” she said. “It was overwhelming, all the people who donated.”Upward of 80 backpacks and drawstring bags have been donated, and boxes of supplies line the back room at the store.“I feel like we've already accomplished so much,” Erskine said. “When I started this store, it wasn't just about the candy, it was about teaching community and kindness.”
