Operation Fill the Boat seeks school supplies for Highland Lakes Elementary students
Fill the Granite Shoals Police Department boat with school supplies for students at Highland Lakes Elementary School. The boat is located at 410 N. Phillips Ranch Road. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Operation Fill the Boat is underway at the Granite Shoals Police Department, 410 N. Phillips Ranch Road. The annual school supplies drive is held by the police department in the weeks leading up to and surrounding the first day of school for Highland Lakes Elementary School students.
“I think it’s a big impact for families in our community and the kids, especially with the current economy,” said Police Chief Gary Boshears about the cost of school supplies.
The department works with Highland Lakes Elementary to determine the most-needed items for students entering the new school year and then provides those supplies through Operation Fill the Boat and specific donations.
Those interested in donating can leave school supplies in the department’s patrol boat, which is parked outside.
The boat is consistently monitored. Donated supplies are removed and brought inside for safekeeping until they can be given to students.
The first day of school for Highland Lakes Elementary students is Wednesday, Aug. 17. Operation Fill the Boat will continue until the end of the month. According to Boshears, the school and parents will reach out to the police department after the first week to let them know the exact needs of students.
One needed item is headphones. Students need them to participate in portions of class that require computers or tablets.
Teachers often spend their own money on supplies for students whose families cannot afford them, said Boshears, who also sits as a trustee on the Marble Falls Independent School District board.