Lake Region Backpack Program providing students with access to school supplies

By Sophia Atherton

Giving back to the community has been an amazing experience for Sandy Lowe and the members of the Lakes Region Fraternal Order of Eagles #4352, and this year is no different. Lowe has been a highly involved member of the Eagles since 2012 and has found her calling in helping to organize a backpack donation program for RSU 14 students for the past four years.

Sandy :Lowe and members of the Lakes
Region Fraternal Order of Eagles #4352
in Windham are collecting backpacks
and school supplies for donation to
RSU 14 students in need ages 5 to 15.
The goal is to collect 25 or more
backpacks for donation by Sept. 4. 
PHOTO BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK

 BY Not to be confused with the RSU 14 Backpack program, the Lake Region Backpack Program focuses on students from the ages of 5 to 15 years old and although some of the Eagles members contribute to the cause, they welcome people of the community to join in their efforts as the start of school nears.

Lowe’s goal is for the Eagles to collect 25 backpacks and fill them with all necessary school supply items, but many more would be gratefully accepted and appreciated.

"We're accepting backpacks, school supplies, pencils, pens, erasers, crayons, and colored pencils and other supplies that are important to the learning experience," Lowe said.

Once the backpacks are collected by Sept. 4, Lowe and a few other members of the Eagles will deliver them to the RSU 14 superintendent's office so they can be distributed to students who need them the most.

"I enjoy helping out our community in many ways, and as the school year begins, the members and I want to help those students who may not have the financial resources to buy the many needed items for a successful school year," Lowe said.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) began in 1889 in Seattle, Washington. As their numbers grew, the organization chose the Bald Eagle as their official emblem and changed the name of the organization to “The Fraternal Order of Eagles and established a goal of helping others. Since its inception, the Eagles have grown into an amazing resource for parents and students in need and in bringing communities together to give students what they need to demonstrate learning beyond the classroom.

The local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Eagles is at 456 Roosevelt Trail in Windham and backpacks and monetary donations to support the Lake Region Backpack Program can be dropped off there.

"There are a number of ways the community can donate items, including monetary," Lowe said. "People can drop everything off at the Eagles Club or they can email me at [email protected] and I will make arrangements with them. The club is open every day from 2 to 9 p.m. except on Sundays, when we open at 1 p.m."

The spirit of giving back to the community is an important aspect to Lowe and her involvement extends beyond the Lake Region Backpack Program.

"I like helping out as much as I can. I try to be a part of the Adopt-a-Family Christmas program, raise money for the food pantry, and last year we helped with raising money and donating to the nursing home,” she said. “We also adopted a family for Christmas and went out shopping for the children. We've also raised money and have gotten donations for many cancer patients."

Lowe says that the Eagles organization is always seeking out new members, and it provides a great opportunity to give back and help better the educational experience for local children in need.

In the future, Lowe said that she hopes to continue the Lake Region Backpack Program and to help create a healthy environment where students of all ages can learn and grow in a classroom.

For more information about donating a backpack, school supplies or making a monetary donation to the Lake Region Backpack Program, call 207-894-2242. <