The faces of the kids who come to the Tools 4 School giveaway say it all, said Suzette McCarty, who is organizing the event. "You can see how much the kids - and the parents - appreciate it," she noted about the backpack and school supply giveaway at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Marietta. "School supplies are so expensive, and when you have a family with three, four or five kids, it really hits them hard."

The church, located at 1290 River Road, Marietta, will hold its annual Tools 4 School giveaway on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 9 to 11 a.m. "Kids can come in and pick out a backpack, and we have different colors, different sizes," McCarty noted. "Then we have school supplies, and they can go down the line to fill their backpack. We have pocket folders, tablets, colored pencils, crayons, markers, pencils, pens, rulers, erasers." Children may also browse used books and take a book home for free.

This is the church's 15th year for the giveaway, which is always well-received by the community, McCarty said. She estimates that about 120 children received backpacks and school supplies last year.

"We want to be sure everyone has the tools they need to succeed in school," McCarty remarked. "This is a great opportunity to help your children get ready for school."

There is no registration for the giveaway, she noted, adding that people can just show up on the day of the event. Supplies and backpacks are donated by congregation members, as well as community members and organizations. Zion's fraternal insurance agency, Thrivent, provides financial assistance to purchase supplies as well.

Tools 4 School is one of the main ministry programs at Zion. The other program is Prime Time, held at noon on the first Tuesday of the month. Open to adults in the congregation and the community, the program provides lunch followed by bingo with prizes.

Both Prime Time and Tools 4 School allow the church members to play an active role in Marietta. "It's important for us to reach out and connect with our community," McCarty said.

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church holds worship services at 10:15 a.m. on Sundays. For more information, visit http://www.zionmarietta.org.