By now we all know how hard the economic situation can be for teachers, families of public school students and the students themselves — and how that situation gets tougher when the school year rolls back around, and new supplies are needed on a nonexistent budget.

On Wednesday, August 8, local businesses, city leaders and volunteers will step up and stuff a school bus with all the donated school supplies they can muster, and they're asking for your help, as well. Pinellas County's Stuff The Bus Campaign brings a big yellow bomber to City Hall from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.; you can stop by at any point and drop off some badly needed school supplies, including but not limited to:

· Scissors

· Ballpoint Pens

· Water-based Markers

· Rulers

· No. 2 pencils

· Backpacks

· Spiral Notebooks

· Glue Sticks

· Erasers

· Three-ring Binders

· Index Cards

· Notebook Paper