For one month every year, Houston Alumni Organization (HAO) members kick their fund-raising skills into high gear collecting money and supplies for school children in the Greater Houston area.

Operation School Supplies (OSS) will run from July 14-Aug. 8. University of Houston faculty and staff can support OSS in a number of ways–by donating school supplies at various drop-off locations around the city and the UH campus, by donating money, or by sponsoring a school for $25 or a school district for $100. The money raised at UH will go toward the purchase of red and white UH rulers.

Drop-off locations around Houston include H-E-B grocery stores, the Houston Zoo and Minute Maid Park. Visit the OSS Web site for details at www.houstonalumni.com.

The university community also can contribute to the cause by volunteering for “Sort & Box Day,” which will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Aug. 14 at the UH Athletics/Alumni Center.

“Operation School Supplies provides an opportunity for each of us to give needy students the tools they need to be successful at a very young age,” said Jeff Fuller, UH admissions manager and OSS chair for the last four years. “This is important because it can help lay a solid foundation for their academic future.”

Last year, more than $135,000 worth of school supplies was collected for OSS, benefiting 17,000 elementary students and 180 schools in 24 districts. Organizers hope to set a new record this year, bringing back the “Cougar” contest to spark competition among UH colleges and departments. A prize will be given to the winner.

“We’re bringing back the ‘Cougar’ contest, hoping the UH community gets involved,” said OSS coordinator Tram Chau, who said the contest will end Aug. 2, so organizers will have time to order and receive the UH rulers. “We’ll also provide posters for the colleges on campus wanting to set up boxes, so people can drop off school supplies.”

The staff members at M.D. Anderson Library are three-time contest winners, raking in $325 for the cause last year.

HAO co-founded OSS 14 years ago along with the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company; H-E-B became a partner in 2002. Other 2004 sponsors include KRIV-TV Fox 26, KXTN-TV UPN 20, KHMX-FM 96.5, the Houston Astros, United Way, the Houston Zoo and 211 Texas.

To sponsor a school or district or to sign up as a volunteer, contact Chau at tram@uh.edu or print the sign-up form on the HAO Web site www.houstonalumni.com.

By Leticia Vasquez
Lvasque5@central.uh.edu