"Backpacks For Kids" Thanks Supporters

The Traverse Bay Sunrise Rotary is celebrating its best year yet for its "Backpacks for Kids" raffle.

"A $20 donation is one school supply-filled backpack," says Club President Sean Skarshaug. "We were humbled by the generous offerings of items for the raffle and the outpouring of purchased raffle tickets."

With move than 4,400 ticket sales, the program netted a record-breaking $14,000 to fund next year's backpack project.

The "Backpacks for Kids" project began in 2004, when the Sunrise Rotary Club partnered with Traverse City Area Piuublic Schools to ensure every elementary student had a backpack full of the supplies they needed. This past fall, the club distributed more than 1,400 backpacks to children.