Calhoun Foods will be celebrating the start of the new school year on Aug. 14 at Bloch Park with the grocery chain’s annual Back to School Fest for students in pre-K through ninth-grade.

The festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with numerous games, prizes, and give-a-ways to both teachers and children.

“We have been work really hard to get ready for the Back to School Fest,” said Beverly Seroy, Calhoun Foods Produce Manager. “This a large community event and it keeps getting bigger every year.”

Children who are accompanied by a parent will receive a free grocery sack full of school supplies. There will also be gift certificates awarded for school uniforms.

“Teachers who have a school I.D. can also pick up free school supplies,” said Phyllis Pierce, co-manager of Calhoun Foods.

Other prizes being given away at the Back to School Fest include a simple wash and style or haircut donated by local hair salons and barbers shops.

Pierce said Dr. Patricia Kay Robinson would be on hand during the event to check children’s immunization records to ensure they are up-to-date before the start of school.

“We had over 5,000 people come to Back to School Fest last year,” Seroy said. “There may be even more this year with the economy being down and more kids needing help.”

Pierce said the goal of Calhoun Foods is make sure children are prepared to start schools with at least some of the supplies they need.

“Calhoun Foods is a family business and we are always watching out for our kids and trying to benefit the community,” Pierce said. “We want to provide the children with some of the tools that will help them do better in school.”

The staff at Calhoun Foods has been busy this past month collecting donations and supplies from area businesses and their customers.

“We really appreciate all the businesses and restaurants that have helped us out over the past four years,” said Seroy. “We are also grateful for Mr. Calhoun himself for giving us the leeway to do this.”

Students from the Selma City and Dallas County school systems are invited to participate in all the festivities and enjoy free food and drinks.

“Being able to do this every year gives me a feeling I can’t explain,” Pierce said. “They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I look at these kids as if they were my own. I want these children to have the same opportunities my kids have and get the tools they need for learning and functioning.”

The staff at Calhoun Foods will begin bagging all of the school supplies on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Pierce said any teachers who would like to help get the supplies ready for Back to School Fest are more than welcome.

“We will still be accepting donations all the way up until Saturday,” Pierce said. “Any church or business who wants to donate supplies can call me and I will gladly go pick them up.”