Susanne Traweek poses beside some of the school supplies that she will give away on July 30, 8-10 a.m. Traweek said that she wants to give back to the community because Gardendale has been good to her.

By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



With two 12-year-olds, Susanne Traweek knows what it’s like to buy school supplies every summer for the new school year.

That’s why this year, she’s giving supplies away for free.

Traweek’s desk at Remax Northern Properties in Gardendale is piled high with boxes of Crayons, notebooks, rulers, markers, folders, binders, pens and pencils.

“I just know that it’s costly,” said Traweek, whose twins attend Bragg Middle School.

She is very familiar with the yearly routine of buying required school from a list.

And while she and her children always make a special day of shopping for school supplies, Traweek said that it is a burden on many families.

“Public school really isn’t free,” she said.

Traweek is giving away the free school supplies on July 30, 8-10 a.m.

Any local parents may stop by Traweek’s office to pick up items that their children need for the upcoming school year.

“Parents can stop by and take what they need,” she said.

Traweek has set no limits on the number of items that people may pick up. She simply asks that they take only the amount that their children need.

This is the first year that Traweek has given away school supplies. But she said that if it goes well, she will likely do it again.

“If the turnout is good, we’ll do it annually,” she said.

Traweek said that she decided to do the give-away in order to give back to the community.

“The people in Gardendale have been good to me,” Traweek said. “I’ve been very blessed.”