CINCINNATI, OH (August 5, 2002) - A record 775 children from the Camp Washington area received customized bags filled with needed school supplies at the fifth annual school supply giveaway Saturday at the Casco Manufacturing Solutions plant on Spring Grove Avenue.

Organized by the Take Time To Care Committee, a nonprofit organization composed of Casco employees, school supplies were distributed for children in grades K-8. Last year, 775 school bags filled with supplies were distributed.

Lines at the Casco plant were long but spirits were high as children and parents enjoyed safety programs from the Cincinnati Fire Division, learned about the D.A.R.E. program, petted the Mounted Police horses and had their faces painted.

Committee President Pamela Brammall said that, in addition to the enthusiastic support of Casco employees, customers, local business and friends, the local print and TV media generated great awareness about the program.

"From 200 children our first year to almost 800 this year, this giveaway definitely fills a need and we hope to expand the event again next year," she said.

The school supplies bags, designed for three groups - kindergartners and first graders, second through fourth graders and fifth through eight graders - contained paper, notebooks, pens and pencils as well as calculators and dictionaries for the older children.