70 Lubbock Boys and Girls Club members get back-to-school shopping spree

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - On Tuesday the Lubbock Boys & Girls Club took 70 of its members to Kohl’s for a back-to-school shopping spree. The children were allowed in the store at 9 a.m. before it opened.

For the past 25 years, the Boys & Girls Club of Lubbock has given its members a shopping spree. The funding for the spree was provided by United Supermarkets and the Lubbock Lions Club. Each child was matched up with a chaperone and was given a $100 Kohl’s gift card. They also received a backpack with school supplies, provided generously by Whataburger.

Samantha Spitzer is the President of the Lubbock Boys & Girls Club, and she said there is a lot of work that goes into putting a shopping spree like this together. “We’ve got 70 kiddos that are going to be paired with our volunteers and spending $7,000,” Spitzer said. “So we’re so excited. It’s our 25th year to have this whole shopping spree with our kids.”

Each club has a specific number of children it is allowed to select for the spree, these kids are chosen at random.

“And then we’ve paired them with volunteers from all over. We’ve had Texas Tech athletics out here, we’ve had United U-Crew, we’ve had Catholic Family Charities, so many different organizations represented and they just get randomly selected with their kids. And so it’s so fun to get to watch their smiles,” Spitzer said.

The 70 children all require one chaperone per child, so the club had to make sure they had plenty of volunteers.

“There are so many pieces and like I mentioned so many volunteers and organizations, it does take a big group and you know we couldn’t be more blessed to get these kids ready for back to school,” Spitzer said.

The parents of the children do not attend the spree. This is an effort to ensure the children are getting to pick the items that they want.

“And with these kids being paired with their volunteers, it gives them an opportunity to kind of pick through what they like and kind of show their expression,” Spitzer said. “I’ve got some kids looking at shoes some are looking at t-shirts and different dresses so it is fun you get to kind of see their personalities come out.”

Carlos Rodriguez is the Assistant Store Manager of Kohl’s, he said this spree is a great event to be a part of.

“They have we’ve been doing it within private but close to 10 years we’ve been doing with them,” Rodriguez said. “We wish we could do more honestly but it’s a great thing that we’re able to help out the kids, a lot of great kids. A lot of people that are needing something like this. I’m glad we’re able to be part of it.”

The Lubbock Boys and Girls Club is always looking for volunteers. For more information about upcoming events, visit their website here.

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