'Blessing for all'

Annual event marks last day of school for local school children, donors

scottw@standard-democrat.com

SIKESTON -- The idea to host an annual event celebrating the last day of school each year was a gift from God, according to Rita Savage of Sikeston.

"A lot of people do a 'Back to School' thing," Savage said Friday morning as she prepared her front yard for the hundreds of children set to arrive in just a few hours.

But other than events for those graduating from high school, there's never really been organized events for the last day of the school year, she noted.

Savage first held her Last Day of School Giveaway in 2007 but that call to put something special together for that day came a few years earlier.

"I sat on it for about three years before I did it," she said. But once Savage started doing it she said, "the Lord has been blessing ever since."

The annual Last Day Giveaway has over the years become "something that I'm proud to help my momma with," said her son, Jeromy Hunt, 36.

Although he has missed one or two over the years, Hunt said he tries to be there to help her every year on the grill.

"I believe in serving hot food to children -- they don't get cold hotdogs," Savage said.

"She's been doing this quite a while," Hunt said.

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