A local organization took some Pasco County students on a shopping spree to buy clothes for the new school year.

  • Fraternal Order of Police Pasco Sheriff's Lodge 29 organized effort
  • Organization raised about $30,000 in four months
  • 100 of neediest Pasco kids each had $300 to spend on clothes, shoes

The Fraternal Order of Police Pasco Sheriff's Lodge 29 raised about $30,000 in four months to take 100 of the neediest Pasco County kids shopping. Each child had $300 to spend at the Land O' Lakes Walmart on clothes, shoes, and toiletries.

The organization worked with the school district to identify which families could benefit the most from their help.

For one family in particular, the trip helped more than their wallets.

Rebekah and Greg Collins have four boys: Nathaniel Pepper, Andrew Pepper, David Collins, and Thomas Collins.  Rebekah worried about paying for school supplies, let alone clothes.

"I had already been praying that God would supply, because I didn't even have money to get their notebooks, papers, and all that, let alone clothes," she said.

She got the call from River Ridge Middle School principal Marcy Lynn Hetzler-Nettles earlier this week, saying that her boys (three of which will attend River Ridge this year) will be part of the shopping spree.

"It's a blessing, it's an extreme blessing," Rebekah said. "I would not have been able to spend $50 per kid, so it's like Christmas in the middle of the year."

The act of kindness wasn't lost on the boys, who ranged from ages 8 to 14.

"It shows that there are actually people in this world that care," Nathaniel Pepper said.

"It's a whole lot of money for all four of us and it helps us really good because we need more clothes," Andrew Pepper said.

Brothers Thomas Collins (upper left), Nathaniel Pepper (upper right), Andrew Pepper (bottom left), and David Collins (bottom right) show off their favorite purchases of the day. (Amy Mariani, staff)

For Rebekah, seeing her boys shop for new clothes and feel excited for the new school year gave her some much-needed joy. She is still grieving the death of her nephew, Jacob Sayer, who drowned this past Memorial Day. She saw her nephew swim after a beach ball and never resurface.

She still can't sleep, she said, replaying what happened in her head. Today's shopping trip reminded her that there is still some good in this world.

"It's like sunshine in the rain," Rebekah said. "This is like the sun just shines through it, that beam that comes down and clears an area and makes this beautiful spot in all the darkness and gloom."