Composition notebook, $1.

1” binder, $2.54.

17” backpack, $25.17.

Graphing calculator, $124.97.

The cartload of supplies, sometimes impossible.

Students who need school supplies or groceries can attend the I Heart Canyon festival Aug. 20, and students who want to help with the festival must sign up by July 31. The churches of Canyon will host the festival at Conner Park and Reeves Hinger Elementary School from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

I Heart Canyon started when Rick Enns, pastor of the First United Methodist Church, shared an idea for the churches in Canyon to host a mission project.  Summit Church planned to do a back-to-school festival, but then decided to combine with other churches.

“The whole purpose is showing the community that the churches of Canyon care about them and want the best for them,” Enns said.

The activities for the festival will include a cook out, inflatables, carnival games, face painting, pony rides, popcorn, cotton candy, music, bands and a pool party. Individual tickets cost $5 , and families can attend together for $10.

“All that money does not go to the church or cover any costs,” Enns said.  “The entry fee will then be taken and given back to Canyon ISD to use in the classrooms.”

I Heart Canyon will provide groceries, backpacks, school supplies, sports physicals, basic dental and eye checkups, supplies and haircuts to the families who need those items or services. Darren Dye, pastor of Freedom Fellowship Church, said the goal is to assist at least 1,000 students.

“There is a lower-income population in Canyon that most people don’t realize,” Dye said.  “You see it more evidently in the school districts and the families that are on the assisting lunch programs.”

Volunteers can register at iheartcanyon.com and are required to purchase a t-shirt for $8.50.

“There will be many different areas they can volunteer, whether it’s helping with food, school supplies, carnival games or registration,” Enns said.

Anyone can help, including children if accompanied by an adult. Senior Cheyenne Paulson will volunteer at the carnival.

“It is a great way to be a part of the community,” Paulson said.  “It’s going the extra step in ministering to children and showing them there are people there for them if they can’t afford the things required for school.”

Community members can also donate items from the lists of school supplies and groceries on the website.

“What we encourage people to do is, for instance, buy the supplies of a first grader and then buy a backpack appropriate to a first grader and put all the supplies in the backpack and then bring them to the church,”  Enns said.

People can drop off their donations at any of the churches participating in this event. In addition to individual donations, local businesses have responded to the project. United Supermarket will donate 1,000 jars of peanut butter, and Walmart will give a $1,500 grant.

“We are going to have a list of all the churches in Canyon in a little flier we will put in the grocery bag with the groceries that we hand out to people,” Enns said.  “On the other side it will have a simple gospel message.”

Organizers and volunteers said they want to help Canyon students have a positive start to the school year.

“A lot of kids just need caring and help,” Paulson said.  “They need to be shown that people do care for them and love them.”

Area churches aim to show that love together through the festival.

“The greatest benefit of I Heart Canyon is seeing the churches of Canyon come together with a singular focus and a singular desire to help the people of our community,” Dye said.  “The outreach is significant, but also the unity as we come together is equally significant.”