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Connors Elementary School student Aliza Fisher twirls around on Aerial Jade’s freestanding rig as others wait their turn Thursday afternoon at the Lewiston Public Schools Summer Outreach. More than 1,000 people took part at the Multipurpose Center at 145 Birch St. in Lewiston. Numerous local businesses and nonprofits, including the United Way of Androscoggin County, contributed money, resources and volunteers for the annual event, which gives away backpacks full of school supplies to Lewiston Public Schools students. Free food, music, haircuts and entertainment kept children busy while many parents took advantage of outreach organizations designed to help them and their children in school. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
A student blows bubbles Thursday afternoon at the annual Lewiston Public Schools Summer Outreach at the Multipurpose Center at 145 Birch St. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
Asma Aweis, a student at Connors Elementary School in Lewiston, checks out the contents of the backpack she received during Thursday’s Lewiston Public Schools Summer Outreach event at the Multipurpose Center at 145 Birch St. Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
Over 1,000 people took part in Thursday afternoon’s Lewiston Public Schools Summer Outreach at the Multipurpose Center at 145 Birch St. in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
Evelyn Campbell, second from left, and her sister Rylee and others play with bubbles during Thursday’s Lewiston Public Schools Summer Outreach at 145 Birch St. in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
Volunteer Mike Pomerleau blows up balloons Thursday afternoon during Lewiston Public School’s Summer Outreach at the Multipurpose Center at 145 Birch St. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
Over 1,000 people took part in Thursday afternoon’s Lewiston Public Schools Summer Outreach at the Multipurpose Center at 145 Birch St. in Lewiston. Numerous local businesses and nonprofits, including the United Way of Androscoggin County, contributed money, resources and volunteers for the annual event that gave away backpacks full of school supplies to Lewiston Public School students. Free food, music, haircuts and entertainment kept children busy while many parents took advantage of outreach organizations designed to help them and their children in school. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
Kate Petite of Soul Salon gives a free haircut Thursday afternoon to a Lewiston Public Schools student during the annual Summer Outreach sponsored by the United Way of Androscoggin County, and many local businesses and city staff. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
A Montello Elementary School student receives a backpack Thursday afternoon during the annual Summer Outreach at 145 Birch St. in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
Volunteer Heather Turcortte prepares a hot dog for a girl Thursday afternoon at Lewiston Public Schools annual Summer Outreach at 145 Birch St. in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)

A lifelong resident of Lewiston, Russ stumbled into photography as a college student working toward a career in psychology. His great-grandfather Louis B. Costello was the publisher of the Lewiston Daily...