SOUTH POINT — Donations are being taken for children in need across the county at Stuff the Ambulance Day on Saturday.

The event is a partnership between Patriot Emergency Medical Services and Backpack Buddies and will take place from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on the lot of the South Point Walmart.

“We are taking any new items kids can use,” Jodi Hunt, program coordinator for Backpack Buddies said. “Clothes, bedding blankets, toys — basically anything new.”

This is the third year for the event, which was launched by Krista Ellison, owner of Patriot EMS and the Laidback Bar and Grille in Ironton.

“It’s really a way to give back to the community,” Ellison said, noting that this is the second year they have partnered with Backpack Buddies.

She said the group was a major help in that Hunt kept a spreadsheet of families throughout the county and knew their needs.

Ellison a major help to the effort in past years has been local fire departments from South Point and Chesapeake, who showed up with their trucks.

She said they have also received considerable support from the Walmart store.

“Marty Bishop, the manager, has been phenomenal and the staff has raised so much,” Ellison said.

Ellison said her work with Patriot has shown her the need in the county.

She said she was raised to help others in need and that she began the event because she “could not stand to see children go without on Christmas.”

She said she will be there on Saturday, “rain or shine,” taking donations.

“We’re very excited to start this team effort and we look forward to it,” she said.