New format for Stuff the Bus in Charleroi

The event will be held Thursday at the River House Cafe, which will donate 10% of its profits from food sales that day.

Charleroi’s annual Stuff the Bus event will look a bit different this year.

The event started in 2017 when Charleroi Area School Board Director Tom Nutting requested school supplies instead of gifts for his 70th birthday. Nutting was inspired by a post from a former student on social media.

Each year since, instead of birthday presents, he asks members of the community to help him fill a school bus with supplies for students in the district.

In the past few years, the event has been held at Smitty’s Marina in Lower Speers, where guests stop by to drop off school supplies or monetary donations to help Nutting and volunteers shop before students return to class.

This year, Nutting was approached by art teacher Kris Vatter, who wanted to help organizing a school supply event of his own to collect items for the art room.

With several years of planning and experience, Nutting was happy to help and the two decided to combine their efforts.

“For the past two years working at Charleroi Elementary Center, Stuff the Bus has been the kickoff event to begin our new school year, for not only teachers and staff, but especially for our students,” Vatter said. “The dedication, time and passion that Mr. Nutting puts into the Stuff the Bus every year is remarkable and greatly helps our students begin the school year off right with class level school supplies.

“As the elementary art teacher, I know how vital supplies can be to a student’s success, and Stuff the Bus offers their supplies to our kiddos for free. Stuff the Bus has also greatly helped to get materials for our elementary art room over the past two years.”

This year’s Stuff the Bus will be held from 11 a.m. to closing Thursday at the River House Cafe in Charleroi.

The restaurant will donate 10% of all its food sales that day to benefit the cause.

While donations of supplies will be accepted that day, Nutting said most people have opted to give monetary donations that are used by teachers and administrators to purchase supplies in bulk from Amazon.

Donations can include backpacks, notebooks, pencils and other school supplies such as binders, highlighters, colored pencils, pens, crayons and other office materials. Monetary donations can be submitted by checks made out to the Charleroi Area School District. Checks can be mailed to Nutting at 705 11th St., Charleroi, PA 15022 and earmarked for Stuff the Bus.

A basket auction will also be held to raise money, which was an idea Vatter came up with inspired by the school’s Harvest Bounty Program.

“They have one each spring for their spring craft show and it is such a huge success,” Vatter said. “My hope and inspiration behind spearheading the basket raffle at River House Cafe for Stuff the Bus, was to have a fresh, exciting way of raising the funds for Charleroi Area School District’s backto- school event, but most importantly I’m doing it to say thank you to Tom Nutting.

“His support and kindness is so appreciated by all of us teachers.”

Twenty-five tickets can be purchased for $5, and winners will be drawn at 7 p.m.

More than 50 baskets have been donated, and more are being accepted through Thursday.

“We have so many great things, and that does not include the gift cards that are still coming in,” Nutting said. “The River House has also been so great to work with, donating a portion of their sales that day, so we are hoping it will be a nice crowd for the event but also for them. Offering 10% is just incredible.”

“Working with the River House Cafe has been a wonderful experience,” Vatter said. “The owners have been so gracious to let us not only have our raffle event at the restaurant, but they are providing 10% of all food purchases toward helping raise funds for Stuff the Bus. River House Cafe has also generously donated baskets from their own restaurant but also several workers.

“Many of their workers either have children in their district or have gone to Charleroi schools themselves and have seen this as an opportunity to give back to the community. Overall they’ve been a pleasure to work with.”

Nutting said since forgoing his typical birthday celebration seven years ago, the event has made his special day even more meaningful.

“This has gotten bigger and bigger every year,” Nutting said. “Last year I think we helped over 400 students and this year it could be 500, maybe even more.

“The support as always is just unbelievable. It never ceases to amaze me how the community shows up for our kids.”

Vatter said the community always turns out to help its students.

“Our school community has been a huge supporter of this event along with our local and surrounding communities,” he said. “There has been a heartwarming amount of support from local businesses that donated not only gift cards but full entire baskets for this event. Many of the staff, families and alumni from Charleroi Area School District have donated either gift cards or an entire basket because they know what a vital part Stuff the Bus plays to kicking off our school year right.

“I am so thankful and grateful for everyone’s support and kindness with helping towards this event.”

After donations are organized and more school supplies are purchased, students will be able to collect their items before school starts next month.