Community Snapshot: Alajawan Brown Foundation Backpack Giveaway

The Alajawan Brown Foundation distributed nearly 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to children in grades K-8 Saturday.

Hundreds lined up outside the Skyway Fire Training Center before 10 a.m., where volunteers handed out the backpacks. Supplies ran out before 1 p.m. according to Dave Nelson, spokesperson for Skyway Fire.

"The Alajawan Brown Foundation, Skyway Fire and the many volunteers who spent hours and hours stuffing the backpacks are happy with today's turnout,” Nelson said, "Today was about Alajawan and his vision to help those in need. Today he helped many children get ready for school this year." Planning is underway for next year’s event.

Children also had the opportunity to get a free haircut and bike helmet. Health screenings, including blood pressure and blood sugar levels, were also provided.

Once children received their backpacks they had a chance to see what it takes to become a firefighter. The youth firefighter challenge had kids run around cones, hike up and down a bouncy slide, pull a hose line to hit a target and then drag the hose to a finish line. Times ranged between 25 seconds to over a minute.