Children from Boys & Girls Club Receive Gift Certificates, Teachers Honored

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue today assisted shoppers at the Staples Office Superstore in Atlanta on the third day of the 2003 Sales Tax Holiday weekend. Children from the Columbus (GA) branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) each received $25 Staples gift certificates to purchase school supplies. Staples also hosted a statewide Teacher Appreciation Day throughout Georgia today. Local educators visiting the store received school supply gift bags.

"Parents, teachers, and students are receiving a well deserved tax break on many school necessities required for success in the classroom," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "Thanks to the expanded exemptions this year, parents will have the opportunity to purchase more items tax free for their children as they prepare for the upcoming school year."

The purpose of the tax-free holiday is to stimulate sales and lessen the financial impact on parents getting their children ready to return to school. This year, Georgians will have the opportunity to purchase more tax-free items as authorized in legislation signed by Governor Perdue on June 4, 2003. The Holiday will continue through midnight Sunday, August 3, 2003.

Staples, Inc. has a national partnership with BGCA. Their partnership promotes the importance of providing children with a safe and supervised place to go during non-school hours and weekends. BGCA selected the Columbus Boys & Girls Club to attend today's event to represent the 28 Boys & Girls Club Organizations throughout the state that direct over 100 neighborhood club houses and serve more than 100,000 youth.

On Thursday, July 31, 2003, Governor Perdue visited the Gateway computer store in Morrow, Georgia and greeted shoppers on the first day of the tax-free holiday. Governor Perdue joined Gateway in donating a complete computer system to a local Clayton County foster family.