Pictured from left to right is Carie Terry and her daughter Maggie Terry at their gym E’Ville Fitness during the 2022 Pack the Bookbag drive.
After having almost three of her children graduate from Edwardsville High School, Carie Terry knows how expensive that first day of school can be for children.
That’s why, for the second year in a row, Carie and her daughter Maggie are organizing the 2022 Pack the Bookbag drive.
The drive takes place at E’Ville Fitness at 233 Harvard Drive, behind Buffalo Wild Wings in Edwardsville, from now through August 12. Carie is approaching her four-year anniversary of owning the gym this fall.
Carie got the idea for the drive after being involved with Edwardsville Neighbors for about five years and realizing how expensive it was shopping for her own kids, especially with the added costs of technology pieces, such as calculators.
“I just want to continue that and give back to the local community as much as possible,” Carie said. “I just find it important for a kid to have brand new stuff on the first day of school.”
Maggie, a senior at EHS, is Carie’s youngest child of three, and is the driving force behind the drive. She has been handling the marketing on social media and getting other District 7 parents and students involved. Outside of the drive, Maggie is on the student council and yearbook staff at EHS.
“It feels good to help people out,” Maggie said. “Being in high school, you can see how much it costs just for supplies.”
The idea is simple, bring in a backpack filled with school supplies to E’Ville Fitness that will be donated to the District 7 schools.
The drive is open to anyone in the community. You don’t have to be a member of the gym to donate.
After donating the supplies, you can write your name on the wall of the gym to be entered into a drawing to win a Tiger football coupon book, which has plenty of local coupons and deals to restaurants around Edwardsville.
For those wanting to donate, you can call E’Ville Fitness at 618-692-5152 or contact their Facebook page to make sure someone’s at the gym ahead of time to help you.