MIDDLEBURG – Maritza Flores arrived with her three children two hours before the Salvation Army opened the doors for its Clay County Backpack Outreach on Friday, July 28.

She said outfitting her children with bookbags, school supplies and clothing was difficult, especially since the first day of school was only 13 days away.

“I don’t know what I would have done,” she said. “Because of this, my children have what they need for the first day.”

So will nearly 900 other children.

The seventh annual event attracted a record crowd of families and students to the outpost on County Road 220. The lines wrapped along the side parking lot, back toward the building and along the front. Everyone got snow cones, hot dogs and treats from some of the participating vendors.

Inside, students started in the chapel to pick out a backpack filled with school supplies. From there, they could get free sports physicals and haircuts or a free pair of shoes, more supplies, health supplies like toothbrushes and toothpaste, toys, books, face painting and information about the many programs available for needy families.

For Flores, it meant not sacrificing other essentials to get her daughter and two sons ready for classes.

“Especially with three school-aged ones, it helps enormously with costs and everything between clothing supplies,” she said. “With the other expenses, sometimes it’s just not possible,”

Jennifer Wheeler, the Army’s Social Service Director, said in addition to seeing families receive the services they needed most, one of the most gratifying aspects of the three-hour event was seeing how the county united.

“This truly is a community event,” she said. “That’s what makes it so special.”

The group of volunteers included students from Orange Park and Clay highs.

“I know that some people won’t get it,” said Orange Park’s Pierce Hinds. “I to try do my best to help the less fortunate, you know?”

The outreach program was the second for Capts. Mike and Julie Chamberlain. Last year set a record for the local nonprofit with 777 bags. This year, the Army was prepared with 900 bags – and they needed every one of them.

“Everything went great,” Mike Chamberlain said. “It was absolutely a good day.”

Chamberlain said the Salvation Army will continue offering its back-to-school program on Fridays while Impact Clay’s backpack program will be at the Trasher-Horne Center a day later.

“We want to make sure people have an opportunity to go to either one,” he said. “If they can’t get there on Saturday, they can come for our day. I think it’s all of us doing our part. Everybody can get help.”

Saturday’s event gifted more than 1,750 students with supplies.

“It’s great that people don’t have to stress out about getting their kids’ school supplies, you know?” he said. “You see the way this community just kind of rallies around itself.

The Salvation Army got considerable support from VyStar Credit Union, 121 Financial Credit Union, Wawa, Cricket Wireless, Mr. Appliance, Publix, Walmart Health, Clay County District Schools, Ascension St. Vincent’s, OneSight, Interact Club, Pet Supplies Plus and Project R.E.A.C.H.