The Lima City Schools will hold its annual Back to School Celebration from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, at Martin Luther King Park, 400 E. Eighth St.

The event will include free school supplies, food, games and other activities. Students are able to select their book bag and then select the school supplies they need. The Joint Systems Manufacturing Center will have its Abrams Half Pint at the event. Westgate Entertainment will be there with activities, and iHeart Radio will provide music.

The district is currently accepting donated school supplies. They can be dropped off from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at the district’s Central Services Building, 600 E. Wayne St. Supplies are needed by Aug. 1.

Thanks to the following partners who have committed to helping collect or fund school supplies: Altrusa International of Lima, Cenovus Lima Refinery, Grace Community Church, Lima Community Church, Lima Kiwanis Club and Aktion Club, Neighborhood Relief, Mercy Health, Salvation Army, UAW Local 1965 Women’s Committee/Dana, Women’s Committee UAW Local 2075 General Dynamics Land System, iHeart Radio, Zion Lutheran Church, Lima Education Association, Lima Congress of School Administrative Personnel and a number of individual donors.

The Lima City Schools will again provide free lunches for children this summer through the Summer Food Program.

Children and teens between the ages of one and 18 qualify for the summer meals. Children do not have to attend the Lima City Schools to get the lunches.

Meals will be available at the following locations from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays beginning June 6:

Heritage Elementary School, 816 College Ave.

Independence Elementary School, 615 Tremont Ave.

Unity Elementary School, 925 E. Third St.

Liberty Arts Magnet School, 338 W. Kibby St.

Lunches will be available through Aug. 4.

Food Truck

New this year will be food truck locations for children to pick up meals. Below are the locations and times each day:

Lincoln Park: 11 to 11:20 a.m.

Lima West Apartments: 11:30 to 11:50 a.m.

Brower/Maplewood Apartments: 12 to 12:20 p.m.

Weekend Meals

Through the Governor’s Weekend Meal Program, in partnership with the West Ohio Food Bank, weekend meals will be offered every Thursday during lunches at Heritage, Independence and Liberty. A one-time application is required. It can be completed when families come for meals.

The Lima City Schools has kicked off its new summer reading program, but there is still plenty of opportunities for students to sign up.

Students can complete a Bingo card for the chance to win prizes at the end of the summer.

Pre-kindergarten through fourth-grade students should have brought home Bingo cards on the last day of school.

They will also be available on the Spartan Ride, which will be out around the community throughout the summer. Cards can also be turned into the Spartan Ride when completed.

The following Spartan Ride stops are planned:

June 7: 11 a.m. at Lincoln Park

June 9: 11:30 a.m.at West Middle School; noon at the Brower Road Apartments

June 13: 11 a.m. at MLK Park; 11:45 a.m. at Unity Elementary School

June 14: 11 a.m. at Heritage Elementary School; 11:45 a.m. at Independence Elementary School

June 15: 11 a.m. at Liberty Arts Magnet.

Bingo cards can also be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays in the main offices at South Science and Technology Magnet School, Lima Senior High School and West Middle School.

The drawing for grand prizes will be held at the district’s Back to School Celebration, 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, at MLK Park.

The Spartan Ride is an old school bus transformed earlier this school year into a mini-learning center and community resource. The bus is packed with learning materials, Take and Make kits for children, information about school and community resources, books for students and parents and much more.

Lima Senior High School DECA students Keegan Halliday and Tillie Nelson finished sixth in this week’s DECA International Competition in Atlanta.

Lima Senior had 22 students qualify for Internationals at the state contest last month.

Halliday and Nelson, both juniors, competed in the Integrated Marketing Campaign. Only 20 percent of students competing in each event advance into the top 10 at the International Competition. The Lima Senior team was the only one from Ohio to advance in this event.