Back to School Fair
SUCCESSFUL by Steve Gamel
I
t’s no secret that the annual Lake Dallas Back 2 School Fair has taken on a personality of its own in recent years. Just last year, eager parents and students showed up at Lake Dallas Elementary School in droves to receive free backpacks, school supplies, and other essentials that they typically struggle to afford on their own.
locations. Plenty of children still got their
Hundreds of smiling volunteers met them
run a non-profit called There Has To Be More Ministries, which helps organize charitable events in the community throughout the year. “You miss things that you were able to do in previous years; it was stuff people really enjoyed. But it was still a success.”
The trick now becomes replicating that
Questions have lingered for months over whether an event of this size could be pulled off during a pandemic. Not only will school look different this year, but the typical donations and contributions suffered as so many businesses and individuals continue to struggle due to closures, job loss, etc.
Barnhart said dates for these events are
But when it mattered most, this community stepped up.
do certain things in person when we can.
at the door, and in many ways, it was like a party atmosphere.
Generous donations from the community kept everything running smoothly, and no one was turned away — no matter
how long the lines got. This year wasn’t any different, despite concerns over COVID-19.
Though students weren’t allowed to come inside to pick out their favorite backpack, the event still served 155 families and
roughly 350 children this year. Families
who signed up in advance lined up in the school’s carpool line and were handed
pre-stuffed backpacks for their grade level and specific school.
No one was turned away, and that’s all that mattered.
“We were so happy that we didn’t have to turn anyone away. And if you don’t turn
anyone away, then you have to count that as a success,” Lake Dallas Mayor Michael Barnhart said. He and his wife, Suzanne, www.LakeCitiesLiving.com
Barnhart said they pulled together enough supplies, and volunteers stayed after-hours to ensure even the last few
cars in line at the cutoff were served. First Refuge Ministries in Denton and America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses took on the responsibility of scheduling free immunizations and eye tests at their
free haircuts, too. Burgess Chiropractic and the Lake Cities Rotary were two of
many integral pieces to this year’s event. success as the second half of 2020 rolls
on. There Has To Be More Ministries needs help supporting several of its charities and events, including the Lake Cities Spirit of
Christmas, its annual fun run, coat drives, and so much more.
still up in the air. But he expects them to run just as smoothly — with your help.
“We’re starting to make phone calls now to get these important events set up,”
Barnhart said. “We do have a few new
vendors who have said they will help us
out, and we will continue to find ways to I’m not going to call this a new normal. I
do believe things will go back to what we are used to seeing.”
To learn how you can help with all of these events and charities, visit
therehastobemore.org. The Barnharts
also regularly post community updates on their community Facebook page, What’s Happening Lake Cities.
SEPTEMBER 2020 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 15
