KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — On Friday, thousands of students across Knox County will have a chance to grab the supplies they need for school. The county's annual School Mania event is expected to return on Friday, lasting from 3 p.m. through 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Jacob Building at Chilhowee Park.
It will be the sixth year of the event. Last summer, people packed more than 2,500 bags for the event and gave away all of them. This year, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said he wanted to raise the bar and pack 6,500 bags.
He and several others helped pack many of the bags on Monday. Each is filled with more than $60 worth of school supplies, according to a release from the county. Anyone who needs a bag can stop by the drive-through event while supplies last.
"This is the assembly room right here — kind of, like, Santa's Workshop if you will, right before Christmas is coming on Friday. We're just excited to be able to partner and have all these volunteers to make a difference in our community," said Ross Jones, the director of operations at the Knoxville Dream Center.
The day after School Mania, July 27, faith-based organizations across Knox County will also host back-to-school events. Every location, except for Grace Baptist Church, will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. The church is operating its event from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Different locations are offering supplies in each of the county's districts. A full list of the locations is available on the county's website.
