— Area charities, churches and businesses continue to collect school supplies and plan several distributions.

The Juanita Blair Farmer’s Insurance Agency and Tahlequah’s Zoe Institute will distribute school supplies at separate events Aug. 4.

Teachers and students can come to the Juanita Blair giveaway, 11 a.m. Aug. 4 at the agency, 112 E. Peak Blvd. New Hope Assembly of God will give away free hot dogs, and Love Bottling will give away free beverages, said customer service representative Jennifer Hollingshead.

All the students need to do is tell them their grades and schools, Hollingshead said. She said the agency studied school supply lists from Hilldale and Muskogee and made supply bags accordingly. Bags for middle school and high school students will have basic school supplies such as paper, erasers and notebooks, she said.

“We are still in need of donations,” Hollingshead said. “We lack $3,100 to reach our goal.”

The drive needs colored markers, pencils, school boxes, pens, spiral notebooks and paper.

The Zoe Institute will offer free haircuts during its school supply distribution. Times are at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Aug. 4 at the First United Methodist Church, 301 W. Delaware St., in Tahlequah.

Kids must have tickets to get the school supplies, said Zoe Institute Executive Director Rhonda Hill. Families can get the tickets at the Zoe Institute main office, 1009 S. Muskogee Ave., in Tahlequah.

The institute will give away 500 backpacks, funded through a grant from Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Hill said.

The giveaway is for students living in Cherokee County, she said.

Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogee

phoenix.com.

Area school supply giveaways

• Juanita Blair Farmer’s Insurance Agency, begins 11 a.m. Aug. 4, at the agency, 112 E. Peak Blvd. Information, (918) 687-7052.

• Zoe Institute, 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Aug. 4, First United Methodist Church of Tahlequah, 301 E. Delaware. Kids must have tickets. Tickets available at Zoe Institute, 1009 S. Muskogee Ave. Information, (918) 453-9778.

If your business, church or organization plans to distribute school supplies, send your information to cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com.

School starting dates

• Aug. 8: Hulbert, Midway, Sequoyah, Norwood.

• Aug. 9: Hilldale, Wagoner, Warner, Webbers Falls, Wainwright.

• Aug. 15: Tahlequah.

• Aug. 16: Eufaula, Porum, Checotah, Okay.

• Aug. 17: Fort Gibson.

• Aug. 20: Oklahoma School for the Blind, Oktaha.

• Aug. 22: Muskogee.

Area school supply drives

Some Firstar Bank collection sites: Arrowhead Mall, 501 N. Main St.; Gaddy Drug, 1126 W. Broadway; Firstar Bank branches, 510 N. Main St. and 2215 Chandler Road; Kmart, 4 E. Shawnee Bypass; Walgreens west, 100 N. 32nd St.; Walmart, 1000 W. Shawnee Bypass; Big Lots at Curt’s Shopping Center; Family Dollar, 1325 S. York St.; Dollar Tree, 934 W. Shawnee Bypass.

• Alpha Kappa Alpha, Martin Luther King Center, 627 N. Third St.

• Juanita Blair Farmer’s Insurance Agency, 112 E. Peak Blvd., (918) 687-7052.

• First Baptist Church of Warner, 812 Second St. (918) 463-2380.

• Project Pencil Box, Muskogee Public Schools Transportation bus lot, 621 Altamont St., (918) 684-3730.

• Ark of Faith, 401 E. Broadway, (918) 682-8411.

• Okay Parent Teacher Association, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Aug. 12, Okay Tag Agency, northeast corner of 251A and Oklahoma 16.

If your business, church or organization is collecting school supplies, send your information to cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com.