PROP School Supply Program

The PROP School Supply Program is seeking supplies to help more than 650 students in need from Eden Prairie and Chanhassen.

Bring donations to PROP, 8080 Mitchell Road, by Friday, Aug. 17, or the PROP Shop, 15195 Martin Drive, by Saturday, Aug. 18.

Items most needed are backpacks, scientific calculators, water colors, colored pencils, one-inch three-ring binders, tabbed dividers, and ruled 3x5 index cards.

Collection tables will also be at Eden Prairie Center from Friday to Aug 20. If you would like to work a shift collecting donations, contact Kate Nylander at 952-237-2747 or k-nylander@northwestern.edu.

Charlie Venable celebrated his 12th birthday at the PROP Shop, asking guests to donate backpacks and calculators instead of bringing gifts

By Stuart Sudak

Charlie Venable’s birthday party was a little unusual.

The soon-to-be Oak Point Intermediate School sixth-grader and 25 of his buddies celebrated his 12th birthday Tuesday at the PROP Shop in Eden Prairie. Instead of bringing presents for Charlie, his guests were asked to bring a new backpack and/or calculator to donate to the PROP (People Reaching Out to People) School Supply Program.

To drive home that point, Charlie’s birthday invitation states, “Absolutely no presents!”

At the dining table of his family’s home last week, Venable said he had no qualms when his mother, Ginger, broached the idea to him. She came up with after seeing two other birthday kids in recent years ask for donations – to other charities – instead of presents.

Charlie nodded in agreement when his mother added that he had more than enough toys in his life already. After all, Charlie said he was more than happy to sacrifice a few toys or games to help some kids in need.

Indeed, backpacks and, more specifically, scientific calculators are two of the most sought after items being collected to help more than 650 students from Eden Prairie and Chanhassen equip themselves with the basic but necessary supplies they need for school this fall.

“I feel good because there’s people out there who need more stuff than me,” he said..

Several of his friends, swimming in the Venable’s backyard pool on a sizzling summer afternoon, embraced the donation idea.

“Yeah, we don’t need all this stuff,” one boy exclaimed. “Helping others is good.”

“I hope the kids get a good feeling for having provided for someone less fortunate,” Ginger said.

The kids met at the thrift shop on Martin Drive to make their donations, tour the facility (their parents could stay for that as well), then have a little fun.

Fun?

In the PROP Shop?

Sure, Ginger said. The boys had a chance to shoot baskets there to win “shop money” to spend on the used books, toys, games or even clothes sold there. Ginger, however, was pretty sure last week that the boys would opt against the clothes.

She then jokingly asked Kate Nylander, the PROP summer intern handling the program, if they were ready for the 25 boys, jokingly mentioning that old saying about a bull in a china shop.

“The china is in a different area,” Nylander said.

This is the first such party at the PROP Shop. If all goes well, Nylander said they might consider more. She thanked Charlie and the Venable family for their help, stressing that the backpacks and calculators are the most expensive of the supplies needed in the drive.

After the touring and shopping, the kids were transported back to the Venable house where they swam the rest of the afternoon away.

“I think he’s more excited than he’s letting on,” Ginger said last week on what Charlie thinks of the party.