Back to School Rodeo Set for July 11

The 15th Annual Back to School Rodeo, a free event providing information and resources for families with students in kindergarten through eighth grade, will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at the Yuma Civic Center (1440 W. Desert Hills Drive).

The City of Yuma will distribute backpacks that include select school supplies to the first 2,000 students in kindergarten through eighth grade who attend. Backpacks are limited to one per child, and the child must be present to receive one.

Twenty-five nonprofit organizations will be present to provide free resources and information available to the community. In addition, the Yuma County Health Department will offer school-age vaccines during the event.

"This year, we were able to purchase backpacks thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. Children will even be able to choose the color of their backpack, with a limited selection available on a first-come, first-served basis," said City of Yuma Special Events Coordinator Brissa Garcia. "We're proud that this event continues to receive strong support and enthusiasm from the public and our community partners."

This year's Presenting Sponsors are APS, RAFI Law Group, Arizona Complete Health, Yuma County Drug Coalition, KYMA Channel 11, Telemundo 3, and ABC 5. Major Sponsors include State Farm - Cathy Nuetzi and Lamar.