By Richard Bammer
Ages roughly 5 to 11, they filed into Target Fairfield, one by one, looking a little sheepish at 7 a.m. Saturday, nearly all from low-income Solano County homes, some of them eager to finish the morning’s generally happy business but most not knowing quite what to expect.
Escorted by their parents, who turned them over to dozens of Salvation Army volunteers who, in turn, helped some 100 children navigate the huge Cadenasso Drive store’s departments, the back-to-school shopping spree began.
Thanks to the Salvation Army, generous donations by Jelly Belly, Vallejo rapper E-40 (aka Earl Stevens), and others, the children picked out $100 worth of free clothes: pants, shirts or tops, shoes, socks, underwear, hats, belts and jackets. The Salvation Army also donated backpacks filled with school supplies, and the Target corporation provided a 10 percent discount for all purchases.