The Adopt a Native Elder Program issued a call, and Salt Lake County employees answered.

Between March 27 and June 1, county employees donated around 170 backpacks and $1,000 to provide school supplies for underprivileged children living on the Navajo reservation. Backpacks were filled with items including pencil pouches, notebooks, colored markers, rulers, scissors and snacks.

The supplies will be delivered to Oljato and the Mexican Hat area of the reservation in the late summer or early fall. Poverty in the area is so high that an Adopt a Native Elder survey done last year showed that only six of 38 families ANE served had electricity and plumbing in their homes, said Mary Phillips, ANE development director.

With such a high level of poverty, many families can't afford to buy school supplies for their children. ANE contacted Sheryl Ivey, special projects coordinator for Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, to solicit donations from county employees for the project.

County employees responded to the request. Donations trickled in slowly at first, but toward the end, they poured in.

"I'm thrilled to death just to see these packs," Ivey said. "When you see the colorful mound of backpacks, which ones are for girls, which one for boys, some tiny and some great big, it's remarkable the cross-mix of all ages. ...

"I would like to say I'm shocked, surprised and amazed that Salt Lake County employees came through like this, but (I can't) because I can always count on them to come through. They're remarkably generous."

Phillips said she has seen people's generosity before so she wasn't that surprised at how much county employees donated, but the gift was still significant.

"In the past we have seen what people can do ... and people have stepped up," she said. "People on the reservation think it's amazing that people they will never meet will help them. They call it the miracle from the sky."

Ivey said county employees solicited help from friends and family, and several youths collected donations for their Eagle Scout projects. The backpack drive served as a good reminder to be thankful.

"Most people in Salt Lake County are blessed to be able to buy kids supplies they need when they start back to school," Ivey said. "We forget the entire community can't afford the things we take for granted, like pencils and paper. ... We hope the rest of the community will contribute and get as excited about helping kids as we are."

Anyone interested in donating to the project can call Joyce at 474-0535 or drop off backpacks, school supplies or children's books to the ANE office, 328 W. Gregson Ave., Salt Lake City. Volunteers are needed to assemble backpacks and deliver these items to the reservation.

The Adopt a Native Elder Program provides supplies to Navajo elders living a traditional lifestyle on the reservation. For more information about the program, visit www.ane.org.

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E-mail: twalquist@desnews.com