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Talk-Line: Mandy Dallas, Dixon Public Schools · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

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  Speaker 1: We are quarter past the hour. This is Wednesday. It's
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  Speaker 1: July the twenty third. The year is twenty twenty five,
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  Speaker 1: and it's time for another informational edition of Talkline here
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  Speaker 1: at wix and Radio. Good morning, I'm Steve Marco. It
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  Speaker 1: is a very interesting program that we are going to
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  Speaker 1: discuss with you today. It happens through the Dixon Public
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  Speaker 1: School System and it's been around for a few years now,
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  Speaker 1: and one of the coordinators of this program has joined
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  Speaker 1: us live this morning to tell us more. You've heard
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  Speaker 1: her announcements already. We have been running a series of
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  Speaker 1: public service announcements about the event, but we are going
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  Speaker 1: to get up close and personal with one of the coordinators.
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  Speaker 1: Her name is Mandy Dallas. She is an educator through
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  Speaker 1: the Dixon Public School System and she is live with
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  Speaker 1: us at the microphones this morning here at Wixing. Good morning, ma'am,
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  Speaker 1: how are you.
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  Speaker 2: Good morning? Thank you for having me, well, it is.
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  Speaker 1: Nice to have you aboard. Thank you for joining us.
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  Speaker 1: And we are talking about Tools for Schools today.
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  Speaker 2: Right, yes, we are.
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  Speaker 1: Now how long has the program actually been in existence?
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  Speaker 1: Tools for Schools? Can you Kendall Parking back and think
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  Speaker 1: about that?
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  Speaker 2: A little bit. It has. It's been an going for
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  Speaker 2: about fifteen years now, really, yes.
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  Speaker 1: Really, okay, all right, And obviously the inception of the program,
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  Speaker 1: you know, had to do with providing materials for students, right,
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  Speaker 1: I mean that was the bottom line, right, and it
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  Speaker 1: has been you know, going strong, even through COVID nineteen
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  Speaker 1: and all of that. You know, we still were able
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  Speaker 1: to carry forward with Tools for Schools. Obviously after the hiatus,
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  Speaker 1: bringing it back and bringing it in once again to
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  Speaker 1: the Dixon Public School System. And you one of the
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  Speaker 1: coordinators of this year's event, right.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, I would be the director of the program of
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  Speaker 2: Tools for School And I do have two lovely ladies
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  Speaker 2: that work behind the scenes, Carrie Ramirez and Healey Rally
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  Speaker 2: that do a lot of our social media points and
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  Speaker 2: our marketing type things, if you.
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  Speaker 1: Will, okay, And those again representatives and they're all educators
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  Speaker 1: right within the publics of their their educators and within
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  Speaker 1: the Dixon Public School System are helping Mandy along with
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  Speaker 1: Tools for School. Tools. Now, before we get to the well,
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  Speaker 1: let's start with the premise of the program. What exactly
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  Speaker 1: when we're talking about Tools for Schools, what exactly are
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  Speaker 1: we talking about here.
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  Speaker 2: Tools for School provides backpacks and basic school supplies for
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  Speaker 2: students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. So a
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  Speaker 2: family who comes to the event on Thursday, August seventh
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  Speaker 2: would be provided a backpack as well as supplies for
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  Speaker 2: that grade level. Now, granted, you're not going to get
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  Speaker 2: everything on the school supply list, but your student will
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  Speaker 2: get enough supplies to get them started and feel successful
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  Speaker 2: at the beginning of the school year.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, all right, and that is exactly what we are
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  Speaker 1: preparing the students for. Obviously, the beginning of the school
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  Speaker 1: year and the need for again and supplies for these students.
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  Speaker 1: Working my way through stores and markets in northern Illinois,
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  Speaker 1: there has been a rising cross, right. I mean, it's
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  Speaker 1: not cheap to get a lot of these applies anymore,
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  Speaker 1: is it, Mandy.
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  Speaker 2: No, it's not. I when I first started teaching, a
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  Speaker 2: box of Crans was fifty cents, and now if you
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  Speaker 2: look at a box of Crans, it's almost a dollar fifty.
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  Speaker 2: So you're, like you said, it has really the cost
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  Speaker 2: for supplies, basic supplies has really risen, exactly.
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  Speaker 1: And that's the need for program like Tools for Schools
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  Speaker 1: is to kind of alleviate that buffer right between, because
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  Speaker 1: I know that you know, moms and dads, you know
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  Speaker 1: some places are scrapped, you know, trying to get you know,
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  Speaker 1: supplies together for their kids. Right. Yes, Now, when we're
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  Speaker 1: talking about backpacks and you know equipment that I should say,
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  Speaker 1: articles that you're passing along to the students, what exactly
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  Speaker 1: we're talking about there? I mean you mentioned crayons, I
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  Speaker 1: mean are those included in the backpacks themselves that you're
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  Speaker 1: going to be distributing? And how does this work? Now?
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  Speaker 2: Yes, a family will come in and they will share
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  Speaker 2: with the volunteer what grade level their students will be.
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  Speaker 2: In the student or the family, the parents get to
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  Speaker 2: choose the backpack that they like and they would like
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  Speaker 2: to have for the school year. Then they will work
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  Speaker 2: their way to a different table where they will share
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  Speaker 2: the grade level and those materials and items have already
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  Speaker 2: been pre packed. So if you have a student, let's
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  Speaker 2: say in second grade, you're going to share that with
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  Speaker 2: the volunteer and they will hand you a bag of
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  Speaker 2: basic supplies for a second grade student. So we do
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  Speaker 2: divide it by grade level through the elementary, middle school,
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  Speaker 2: and high school. We don't specifically gear supplies towards them,
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  Speaker 2: as teachers have their own preference, but we do try
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  Speaker 2: to provide pens, pencils, and notebooks so that high school
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  Speaker 2: or middle school student can get their year started as well.
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  Speaker 1: Even as simple as pens and pencils, though you know
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  Speaker 1: you are needed, you know, articles when it comes to
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  Speaker 1: basic necessities for a school year for a student. I mean,
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  Speaker 1: obviously the students and caregivers and moms and dads are
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  Speaker 1: given these lists up front, right, I mean, they pretty
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  Speaker 1: much know what they need for their kids. But it
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  Speaker 1: is in some cases that's tough to get this stuff right.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, very much so. And we have basic things such
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  Speaker 2: as krans glo sticks, scissors, pencils, markers, colored pencils, and
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  Speaker 2: a pencil box for the elementary students.
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  Speaker 1: Mandy Dallas is our guest today. She is an educator
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  Speaker 1: within the Dixon Public School System. She is the director
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  Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty five Tools for Schools program for
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  Speaker 1: the Dixon Public Schools. Now, do the Is this your
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  Speaker 1: first year as being director?
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  Speaker 2: No, this is my fourth year.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, okay, so you've helm this for a few years now.
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  Speaker 1: So again you've been a kind of the lead, you know,
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  Speaker 1: in getting you know, this taken care of obviously before
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  Speaker 1: the school year starts, which is I believe August the thirteenth,
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  Speaker 1: if I'm not mistaken, that was that's the first day
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  Speaker 1: of school in the Dixon Public school system. So Tools
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  Speaker 1: for Schools obviously you know wants to be there are
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  Speaker 1: just before you know the first semester's classes kicks off.
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  Speaker 2: Then right, Yes, our event is Thursday, August seventh at
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  Speaker 2: the Elks Lodge. It's from nine am to one pm
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  Speaker 2: and four to six pm, and we invite our families
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  Speaker 2: from Dixon that qualify for free and reduced lunch to
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  Speaker 2: come and choose a backpack, get some supplies, and we
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  Speaker 2: have a plethora of community resources available to help our
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  Speaker 2: families that might need a little assistance.
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  Speaker 1: Now when you obviously people moms and dads and families
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  Speaker 1: you know, need to meet some criteria. Then you mentioned,
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  Speaker 1: you know, free schools, three lunches. That's part of the
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  Speaker 1: criteria in qualifying for Tools for Schools. Yes, it is, okay,
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  Speaker 1: so you have to meet certain criteria right in order
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  Speaker 1: to qualify to again be able to pick up your
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  Speaker 1: backpack at this event. Then correct, Okay, that's at the
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  Speaker 1: Dixon Elks Lodge. It pretty much ones all day then
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  Speaker 1: on that Thursday, right.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, from nine am to one pm, and again from
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  Speaker 2: four to six pm.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, so it's pretty much throughout the day at the
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  Speaker 1: Dixon OK's Club and you know, no pre registration, no anything, right, No, Okay,
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  Speaker 1: let's talk in this portion about how you you know,
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  Speaker 1: you get these all together? How do you get all
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  Speaker 1: of these articles together?
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  Speaker 2: Now?
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  Speaker 1: I understand that there was a gathering last night at
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  Speaker 1: Culvers that supported Tools for Suchol's talk about this a
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  Speaker 1: little bit.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, we did have a Culver's Night and we had
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  Speaker 2: a really good turnout and we appreciate the community members
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  Speaker 2: that came through and supported our program and a huge
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  Speaker 2: shout out to Culver's for hosting us and making a
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  Speaker 2: donation to Tools for School as well.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, with that donation, you purchased these items. And
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  Speaker 1: I mean, how do you go about I mean, where
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  Speaker 1: where does the funding come? I mean, you know, how
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  Speaker 1: do you go about you know, getting all of this
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  Speaker 1: together for this event.
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  Speaker 2: Tools for School relies solely on donations from our community.
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  Speaker 2: So when those monetaryum donations are made, we then place
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  Speaker 2: an order with Walmart and Walmart is amazing about providing
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  Speaker 2: us the materials that we need and I place an
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  Speaker 2: order with them and then we pick it up and
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  Speaker 2: we sort it and distribute those make those bags if
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  Speaker 2: you will, the day before the event, Mandie.
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  Speaker 1: It's mainly monetary donations that you look for then in
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  Speaker 1: order to support the tools for schools cause. Is that correct?
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  Speaker 2: That is correct. But we do have a lot of
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  Speaker 2: places that collect school supplies for us as well. We
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  Speaker 2: have donation containers at the YMCA, Midland State Banks, both
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  Speaker 2: Sock Valley Bank locations and Ferology and we take backpacks
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  Speaker 2: any sort of school supply. I get a lot of
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  Speaker 2: donations of those items that I just people contact me
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  Speaker 2: and I go pick them up from their place of
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  Speaker 2: business or from their home.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, So there are many ways to contribute to the car.
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  Speaker 1: And this is again all of the kids. This is
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  Speaker 1: all for the students in need of these articles and
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  Speaker 1: these you know, necessary pieces of you know what they
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  Speaker 1: need to go forward into the first semester of classes.
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  Speaker 1: In our Dickson public school system, it's pretty much Dixon schools, right, Mandy.
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  Speaker 2: That correct, Just Dison schools okay, okay, yeah, And we
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  Speaker 2: do take donations all year we do replenish backpacks in
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  Speaker 2: school supplies for students as they needed, or for students
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  Speaker 2: who move into the district and they might need some
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  Speaker 2: supplies as well. So we take donations all year long.
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  Speaker 1: Now, besides this Tools for Schools main event, then in August,
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  Speaker 1: no other distribution goes on though. I mean, well, you
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  Speaker 1: mentioned that you try to assist kids when there's a need.
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  Speaker 1: How does that work then? I mean does a person
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  Speaker 1: contact you?
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  Speaker 2: Yes, either the family will or the building secretary or
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  Speaker 2: principle will reach out if they're in need of some
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  Speaker 2: items for a family.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, And obviously if you have those items available, then
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  Speaker 1: you're able to support, not just during this one day event.
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  Speaker 1: Then you know, you're you're you know, you're there, you know,
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  Speaker 1: for for a call maybe for a student that's in need.
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  Speaker 1: Is that correct?
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  Speaker 2: Yes, that's correct, very good.
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  Speaker 1: So again, yeah, Tools for Schools. Yeah, we're kind of
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  Speaker 1: you know, pinpointing the one day activity at the Elks Club,
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  Speaker 1: but as you mentioned, you're pretty much throughout the school
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  Speaker 1: year assisting that.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, that that is correct.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, So it's so it's not just one day that
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  Speaker 1: you know, Tools for Schools is involved with. It's pretty
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  Speaker 1: much the entire school year, and it's across the entire
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  Speaker 1: spectrum of Dixon High School students you mentioned right from
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  Speaker 1: from kindergarten all the way up to high school.
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  Speaker 2: From pre k right way to high school.
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  Speaker 1: Yes, that that that items are needed. And so if
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  Speaker 1: a person has items again available for this cause, they
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  Speaker 1: can drop them off at the barrels as you mentioned
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  Speaker 1: in those various locations, or if they don't have the
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  Speaker 1: items and want to make again a donation to tools
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  Speaker 1: for schools, how do they go about doing that?
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  Speaker 2: Now, any donation, whether it's monetary or school supplies, can
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  Speaker 2: be dropped off at the district office central office out
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  Speaker 2: on Franklin Grove Road.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, that's located, Yes, on Route thirty eight, Franklin Grove Road.
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  Speaker 1: That's in East Dixon. Again, you can't miss that spread
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  Speaker 1: that's out there on Illinois Route thirty eight, and that's
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  Speaker 1: the Dickson Public School office. So if a person you know,
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  Speaker 1: wants to make a donation but doesn't have the articles
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  Speaker 1: to drop off of the barrel, and you don't want
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  Speaker 1: to drop off money, right and you don't want to
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  Speaker 1: drop off those cash donations, No, that's just you know,
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  Speaker 1: for supplies correct, Yes, that's correct. Okay. So if a
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  Speaker 1: person wants to make a monetary donation then they want
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  Speaker 1: to make they take their moneys to the school office.
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  Speaker 2: Then yes, they can drop it off or they can
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  Speaker 2: mail it if they prefer.
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  Speaker 1: Can they do that you know during that one day Mandy? Yes,
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  Speaker 1: it's the Dixon oth clok. Can they make the donation
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  Speaker 1: at the Dixon oath clok? Can they do that? Then?
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  Speaker 1: Can they come in and make a donation there?
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  Speaker 2: Yes?
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely, so you're available to take a donation, even though
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  Speaker 1: maybe a person doesn't you know, you know, want to
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  Speaker 1: pick up items for instance, and just wants to make
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  Speaker 1: a donation. They can go to the Dixon Ox Club
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  Speaker 1: then on that Thursday it's a Thursday, right, yes, okay,
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  Speaker 1: and make that donation you know during the Tools for
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  Speaker 1: School spotlight in our Dickson Public Schools system again Tools
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  Speaker 1: for Schools the date once again for.
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  Speaker 2: The Thursday, August seventh, from nine am to one pm
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  Speaker 2: and again from four to six pm.
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  Speaker 1: Does a person need to bring that qualification material or
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  Speaker 1: information with them or how does that work? Now?
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  Speaker 2: No, they don't. They just come they'll register at a
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  Speaker 2: table if you will, Just so we keep track of
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  Speaker 2: the amount of kids that come through so we can
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  Speaker 2: plan accordingly for the next year, and then they will
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  Speaker 2: come into the Elks and volunteer will help them shop.
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  Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure that it's a very you know, interesting
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  Speaker 1: event that takes place at the Dixon Ox Club with
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  Speaker 1: all of that material and all of those backpacks ready
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  Speaker 1: to be grabbed and taken into schools for the twenty
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  Speaker 1: twenty five, twenty two, twenty sixth school year you're going
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  Speaker 1: to be having at the Dixon Ough Club. Well, Mandy,
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  Speaker 1: we thank you so very much for dropping by and
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  Speaker 1: telling us all about it. We wish you the best
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  Speaker 1: of luck with this year's event. Again, place your donations
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  Speaker 1: go to the Dixon Public School main office if you
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  Speaker 1: want a place a monetary donation, or watch for those
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  Speaker 1: barrels again, they'll be you'll be collecting until obviously that
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  Speaker 1: time and then distributing then on that Thursday at the
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  Speaker 1: Dixon Ox Club. Yes, that's correct, Mandy Dallas. We thank
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  Speaker 1: you so very much for stopping by and telling us
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  Speaker 1: all about it today here at wi Accent.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you for having me.
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: Jules for Schools in the Spotlight today on the talk
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: line here at wix Cent. It's eight thirty. It's time
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: to go to press with Tim Lee on Wi cent
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: Good going in here for Shaw Local new