College Station Rotary Club takes 89 Brazos Valley kids on shopping spree

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) -Before the sun rose Saturday morning children and their families lined up outside the Target in College Station for what would turn out to be an exciting morning of shopping.

Eighty-nine children from across the Brazos Valley received $175 to purchase clothing as part of the College Station Rotary Club’s annual Clothing for Kids event.

The nonprofit Books and a Blanket also provided bags packed with books for every child, and Outback Steakhouse treated everyone to breakfast tacos.

Funding for the event was made possible through the Pizza for a Purpose fundraiser held in October at Napa Flats.

This year’s shopping spree was different from previous years as children actually had the opportunity to shop for themselves. For the past two years, the event was held as a drive-thru due to the pandemic. The rotary club was also determined not to let inflation spoil Christmas for children this year so they increased the stipend from $150 to $175.

Event organizers said they look forward to this clothing for kids event each year.

”We’re a service organization and we help the community and so this is the epitome of that,” said event coordinator Cynthia Hurt. “This is taking people from the Brazos Valley that need a little bit of help this time of year and then also bringing joy to the children getting new clothing and shoes and jackets.”

Mary Thomas with Lean on Me Family Residential Treatment Center based in Hearne was with a group of excited children Saturday.

“This is their first time doing this and they just got up this morning excited about it that they’re going to get a chance to shop at Target,” said Thomas.

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