The wider that children unzipped the free backpacks given to them by United Way volunteers inside the gymnasium of Cassopolis’ Brookside Learning Center Saturday morning, the larger the smile on their faces grew, as they discovered all the supplies they were just gifted for the upcoming school year.

One of the children even proudly announced, “I got a new backpack!” as she adjusted the bag between her shoulders for the first time.

For the men and women handing out the bags of school supplies during the United Way’s annual School Supply Spectacular, basking in glowing looks of joy on the faces of the hundreds of Cass County children they helped Saturday was all the payment they needed.

“It’s such a happy event,” United Way representative Doug Ferrall. “Everyone is in such a good mood.”

Over 600 area children received a free backpack of their choosing during the event, with each bag containing an average of $20 worth of pencils, calculators, notebooks and other essential school supplies, Ferrall said. The United Way had prepared 1,000 backpacks for the giveaway the previous day, with 60 people coming out to fill the bags.

“We got everything done in under two hours, so we’re pretty proud of that,” Ferrall said.

Saturday’s event was the eighth straight year that the United Way of Southwest Michigan has partnered with the Lewis Cass ISD to hold the giveaway, which is designed to help lower income families living in Cass County.

“Getting kids on track early on is a huge indicator of success later in life,” Ferrall said. “It’s why we invest in this event, and in education as a whole.”

The United Way is sponsoring a second backpack giveaway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in Marcellus. Any remaining backpacks that aren’t given away will be donated to local schools and nonprofits,  Ferrall said.