Churches help out with back to school

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ill. (WTHI) - A Wabash Valley church turned into a shopping mall for kids heading back to school.

School supplies of all kinds and a whole lot more were set up at the Central Christian Church in Lawrenceville, Ill.

The church, along with 17 other churches in the area, raised $25,000 and turned it into back to school supplies and clothes for children in the area. Organizers said any child from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade from Lawrence County can take part in the free event.

"They get all their school supplies and they come out of there and they're pretty proud and I think more than anything they get special attention. Plus, all the things they need to start school and they feed like they're starting school on an even footing with everybody," Kristy Dutton of Kids Shopping Day said.

About 400 kids are expected to take part in the fourth annual Kids Shopping Day of Lawrence County on Saturday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. CT.