Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center employees are making sure underprivileged children in San Luis Obispo County have a new backpack for the first day of school. Employees at the hospital donated more than 60 back packs filled with school supplies to the San Luis Obispo County Department of Child Welfare Services. This is the third consecutive year Sierra Vista employees have participated in the back-to-school backpack fundraiser.

Each backpack was stuffed for a specific child with goodies such as crayons, Hannah Montana folders, notebooks and other essential school supplies. Sierra Vista was provided with general profiles of each child; age, sex, grade level and their individual preferences such as themes (ponies, race cars) and colors. Some backpacks also include sweatshirts, water bottles, blankets, stuffed animals and lunch boxes. This year, the backpacks will also include Burger King certificates, thanks to the generosity of local franchise owners Mike and Shirley Humerian. Both local television stations were on-hand to document the event.