Santee Chamber Weekly Update 15AUG25

Hello Santee!

As East County students prepare for the school year, I had the privilege of helping distribute backpacks at Buddy’s Backpacks & School Supply Drive last Saturday. Volunteers from the Santee-Lakeside Rotary, Santee School District, Miss Santee titleholders, City Council Members, community partners, and even our Past CEO Kristen Dare joined in. This has been one of my favorite feel-good moments since I first helped with the program in 2017 during my Miss Santee reign.

Started in 2015 by community activist Buddy Rabaya, and with the with the Santee Mobilehome Owners Action Committee (SMOAC), this program helps families struggling to afford school supplies. Buddy, the 2018 Santee Chamber Person of the Year, passed away in 2020 but left behind a legacy of generosity.

This year’s drive, supported by local businesses, nonprofits, and volunteers, collected over 1,000 backpacks filled with supplies like pencils, notebooks, crayons, and markers. Now in its 11th year, it has helped more than 14,000 students and families since its launch.

Seeing students’ faces light up as they chose their own backpacks was a powerful reminder—this is about more than supplies; it’s about giving kids confidence and showing them their community cares.

I encourage you to get involved by volunteering or donating supplies. We need more people to #BeLikeBuddy. Keep an eye out for donation boxes around town for next school year, and here’s to a successful year for all our students!