Mobis to give away 250 bookbags

Hyundai Mobis Georgia (MGA) will be hosting its annual bookbag giveaway for area students on Sunday, July 26, starting at 1 p.m. while supplies last. MGA general administration specialist Jacob Holcomb said the initiative was started a few years ago to provide bookbags to children of Mobis employees and children in the greater West Point and Troup County community, helping get everyone ready to go back to school. “We’re just trying our best to do our part and help the kids start off their school years confident and excited and really start off the year fresh,” Holcomb shared. “When you see that look on the kid's face for the first time, and maybe it's someone who's able to get a backpack that they always wanted to get and weren't able to for whatever reason, being able to see the joy on a kid's face when they receive something like that is really exciting on our part. We want to continue that and continue to support just the community as a whole. If we have the means, we want to be able to do what we can. I know for myself personally how exciting the first couple of days of school were, so to be able to go back and be ready and excited and feel like you're going to start off the year great is a good feeling.” Holcomb also hopes local kids recognize Mobis as a positive part of the West Point community. “I would hope that they understand that there are people in the world as a whole that want to do good for the sake of doing good, for the sake of just being good people and helping each other out. We want people to recognize the Mobis brand as a positive thing in our community. We want when people see the red O or when they drive by us on the highway, that they think positively of us. So, just really trying to put as much of a foot forward there as we can,” Holcomb said. Holcomb notes the community response and reception from the City of West Point has been great ever since MGA started doing the giveaway. Bags are funded by MGA, and the company will be able to provide 250 free bookbags to the community this year. Holcomb says Mobis tries to buy bags that are high quality so they can last for a long time and be enjoyed by the community. Bags will be provided first come, first serve. This year, Mobis will also be giving away 150 transparent umbrellas first come, first serve. The umbrella giveaway is part of an initiative from the Mobis headquarters in South Korea to help kids stay alert, promoting safe navigation of traffic while in the rain. Free Kona Ice will also be available during the giveaway for families to enjoy. The giveaway will be held at J Smith Lanier Park, located at 413 W. 7th St., West Point.