The July 30 First Kiwanis Back-To-School Kids Fest raised $220.50 in monetary donations, and in-kind donations of school supplies have been valued at $2,374.50, according to Community Resource Services (CRS) Director Susan Poole.

Donations went to CRS to assist families needing back-to-school items.

"We were pleasantly surprised to entertain a steady stream of families throughout the three hour festival," event organizer Kyle Maurer said. "As expected, the kids loved the activities we had planned, but even better than seeing the smiles on their faces was watching the boxes of donations stack higher and higher."

Maurer said he hopes the supplies gathered will stretch a long way to help out as many families as possible.

"What we know for sure is that a new Avon Lake summer tradition was born," he said.