EPHRATA — Ephrata families, businesses and community organizations came together to collect school supplies for students affected by wildfires in the Nespelem and Wahluke school districts. 

“The Ephrata School District, like they're our neighbors, but you know, an hour away, right? Not even in our league. It just was the greatest what they did for our students. They restored faith in humanity,” Wahluke School District Superintendent Andy Harlow said.  

The donation drive, organized through the Ephrata School District during back-to-school orientations, generated thousands of school-supply items in just a few days. Community members donated lined paper, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, notebooks, glue sticks, highlighters and other classroom essentials to help students whose families have been impacted by recent fires. 

Communications Director Sarah Vasquez said the response demonstrated the generosity of the Ephrata community. 

"I think it just goes to show that people are willing to help each other out," Vasquez said. "We've had a lot of donations to the Ephrata School District and students, and then also families bring in a lot of things on such a short turnaround." 

According to the district, donations included 1,900 pieces of lined paper, 1,140 pens, 408 pencils, 952 crayons, 160 markers, 96 colored pencils, 100 glue sticks, 85 notebooks, 38 highlighters, 16 tissue boxes, 12 scissors and countless erasers, note cards, binders, rulers, clearing wipes and various other school supplies.   

Vasquez said donation boxes were placed at school orientations Monday and Tuesday, providing families and community members an opportunity to contribute while preparing for the start of the school year. 

"I dropped off the boxes early Monday. I came back this morning, and there were a lot of donations," she said. "It was really great because we didn't push it too hard. We know that a lot of families still have to buy supplies for themselves." 

The collected supplies will be distributed to students and families in the Nespelem and Wahluke school districts who have been affected by wildfires.  

Railroad Fire started July 22 near Mattawa and Beverly. The fire had claimed around ten homes and burnt 8,200 acres according to Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman.  

Harlow said the kindness from the community has been the silver lining to this tragedy. 

“The silver lining that kept coming back in this tragedy was all these different pockets of kindness, and it just blew me away from people just showing up because we hosted for a couple of nights a lot of the displaced families, and they would just show up with supplies, everything from water to toilet paper to paper towels,” Harlow said. 

The Nespelem area is still struggling with the Kaiser Canyon Fire which has scorched 138,293 acres and is now 99% contained as of Sept. 2, according to the Integrated Reporting of Wildland Fire Information.  

"It was really cool for us to be able to share those with those other districts because some of these families have lost their homes and they literally have nothing, so it makes a big difference," Vasquez said. 

The district's effort was supported by the American Legion, Ephrata Walmart, Granco Federal Credit Union and numerous local businesses, organizations and families. 

While the wildfire relief drive has concluded, Vasquez said the district will continue supporting local students who may need assistance as the school year begins. 

"If anyone needs anything in the Ephrata community, don't be afraid to reach out to their school and see how we can help, too," she said. 

Classes in the Ephrata School District begin Sept. 3. 

    Extra boxes had to be added at the Ephrata Middle School donation drive during back-to-school orientations. The district plans on giving all of the supplies collected to wildfire-affected students at the Nespelem and Wahluke school districts.