Peninsula Community Health Services hosted its third annual school supply KidFest event on Wednesday in each of its locations in Kenai and Soldotna.

Parents and guardians of youngsters preparing for the first day of school collected different colored backpacks stocked with basic school supplies like folders, pencils and glue.

“It’s just for any kid that needs backpacks,” Chastity Swafford said.

Swafford and Joanne Jenkins distributed backpacks at the location on Frontage Road in Kenai. The KidFest was set to last from noon to two in each location, but Swafford said she had already helped five cars by about 11:30 a.m.

“I don’t think it will last for two hours,” Jenkins said after distributing backpacks to a line of cars before the official start time of the event.

In the first year of the event, PCHS held the backpack drive indoors. For the past two years, Swafford said, they’ve switched to a drive-thru method.

PCHS originally started with a drive-thru to adhere to COVID-19 mitigation procedures, she said, but kept it this year because it’s a more efficient system.

There were a total of 400 packs among the three locations, and 125 available at the Frontage Road stand. The drive-thru was on a first-come, first-served basis.

Reach reporter Camille Botello at camille.botello@peninsulaclarion.com.