Back to School 2026: Backpacks, Supplies, and a Great Turnout
On 15 August our team spent the afternoon with families across Arlington and Pantego getting ready for the new school year. The event was free and open to anyone who wanted to come.
We gave away 100 backpacks, filled with school supplies, and they went fast.
There was more going on than the backpack wall. We ran a Chromebook giveaway, put up a bounce house for the kids, handed out free nachos and drinks all afternoon, and shared the space with local vendors.
Being a 24/7 emergency room is strange work in one respect. Most people meet us on the worst day they have had in a while, which makes it easy for a facility to become a building people drive past rather than a neighbor they know. Days like this are how that changes.
There is a practical side too. A family who has already met our team at a school event knows where to go at two in the morning, before they are trying to work it out on a phone in the dark.
Thank you to everyone who came out, to the vendors who joined us, and to our staff who gave up a Friday to be there. Have a great school year.
Arlington ER is open 24 hours a day at 1607 S Bowen Rd in Pantego, with CT, X-ray, ultrasound and a full laboratory on site.
Walk in any time, no appointment needed.
