On Thursday, all local Chick-fil-A orders will help ensure Wilson students are prepared when they hit the books this fall.

Franchise owner Christy Proctor is donating 10% of all proceeds Thursday from both the 2407 Forest Hills Road W. and 5100 Raleigh Road Parkway W. restaurants to her annual Bucks for Backpacks project. The event started for her 40th birthday as a way to help others. The festivities and fundraising totals have increased, with more than 5,000 stocked backpacks distributed to area kids in need through the last decade.

“It is amazing, and I can’t imagine doing anything else for my birthday now,” Proctor said. “I have a passion for education and a passion for giving back, but to know folks are going to support me on my birthday by doing something good for Wilson feels great.”

In the past, Proctor collected school supplies and held a back-to-school fair to distribute the filled backpacks, but COVID-19 changed that. Now she focuses on raising money to donate to the school system, which buys the supplies in bulk and distributes them.

“No one has to stand in line anymore,” she said. “When a kid shows up at school and they recognize the need, they give them the backpack with the supplies to start the school year off right. That is incredible.”

Proctor said nearly all of her roughly 200 employees will be working Thursday to ensure customers leave satisfied while supporting the fundraiser. She plans to have some games and prizes for attendees as well.

“I’ve been getting excited for weeks thinking about how many people will come out and help support our kids,” she said. “They acknowledge the need here in Wilson, and every year, I hope they’ll not only support this fundraiser but maybe be inspired to do something else for other organizations in Wilson that need their help.”

Donations also are accepted on a crowdfunding page accessible on Chick-fil-A Wilson’s Facebook page. Proctor said $25 will provide a backpack and one set of school supplies.

The top donor so far is Rhyan Breen at $277, which is his monthly stipend for serving on the local school board. Breen said he chooses a different education-related charity to donate the check to, but was happy to support Bucks for Backpacks this month.

“Some people do give less than $25 because that is what they can afford, but the majority of people donating to my GoFundMe page are donating much more than that,” Proctor said.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Ulta Beauty recently installed a “coming soon” sign in western Wilson’s Heritage Crossing shopping center. Company officials didn’t respond to requests for comment on the store’s timeline, but the cosmetics chain with Midwestern roots recently opened a location in Rocky Mount. The shop specializes in salon-quality hair care and cosmetic products.

Got an idea for news to include in next week’s Main Street Minute? Don’t hesitate to reach out to me at 252-265-7821 or bhandgraaf@wilsontimes.com.