ELKINS — The fourth annual Back to School Bash will be offered Saturday at the Phil Gainer Community Center.

The event, which provides children in the community with free backpacks and school supplies for the upcoming school year, is sponsored by Nikki Rogers State Farm. The Back to School Bash will take place from noon until 3 p.m. and will feature a host of free activities for children, including bouncy houses and a back to school selfie booth.

“Last year we handed out over 400 backpacks and the kids all enjoyed themselves, despite it pouring down the rain. It was great,” Nikki Rogers State Farm Office Manager/Marketing Director Karrah Washington told The Inter-Mountain. “We are looking forward to being inside at the Phil Gainer Community Center this year where it’s climate-controlled.” 

Free back to school haircuts will be available for children, courtesy of Jade Elbon from Sports Clips Haircuts of Morgantown, Marla Roberts from Obsessions Hair & Beauty, Mika Owens from Top Knot Hair LLC, and Travis Scott and Titus Smith from the Fadeaway Barbershop.

“This year we have five different stylists and barbers who can cut hair, so that’s a significant help,” said Washington. “We had a very large line last year and only two stylists, so having more people doing hair this year will make a big difference. And all of them are donating their time, which we really appreciate.” 

Children will also be treated to free popcorn and popsicles at the event. The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office will be on hand to do a fingerprinting activity with the kids. Multiple small businesses and local nonprofits will be set up as vendors during the event, some offering free activities for the children.

DJ Marty with Operation Firm Handshake will be joining the celebration this year, and Axis Training will be performing on the stage at 12:30 p.m. Randolph County Climb contributed to the event by donating folders and loose leaf paper for the backpacks.

“I started the Back to School Bash following COVID, there was a need and the need has grown over the course of four years,” said State Farm Agent Nikki Rogers. “We have gone from 200 backpacks to 500 in a short amount of time.”

Each of the 500 backpacks that will be handed out during this year’s event will be filled with school supplies that are on the Randolph County Board of Education’s School Supply List. Randolph County Preschool officials will be present to provide information regarding preschool, and to hand out goodies. Parents will have the opportunity to sign students up for preschool during the event.

“We are very excited about this year’s bash,” Washington said. “A lot of work goes into the event beforehand. We still have to pack all of the backpacks and get all the supplies in there before Saturday, but we are moving right along.

“This year Davis & Elkins College is sending a significant amount of volunteers to help on the day of the event, so we are pretty thrilled about their assistance as well.”