It won’t be long and the wheels on the bus will be going ‘round and ‘round.

For parents, that means it time to break out the wallet and purchase school supplies.

That can get expensive, and while the economy may be improving, times are still tough for many folks in Butler County.

The good news is help is on the way in the form of the state’s “Back to School” sales tax holiday.

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 1 and ending at midnight on Aug. 3, Alabama will hold its eighth annual sales tax holiday, which gives shoppers the opportunity to purchase certain school supplies, computers, and clothing free of state sales tax.

According to the Alabama Department of Revenue’s website, Greenville, Georgiana and Butler County have all agreed to waive their portion of sales tax during that period to lend a hand to those preparing for the new school year.

Items that can be purchased tax free during that weekend include clothing items less than $100, school supplies, books, computers ($750 or less) and computer equipment. A complete list can be found at revenue.alabama.gov/salestax.

The Butler County Retired Educators Association is taking advantage of the tax-free weekend to help out the county’s students and teachers by holding a “Fill the Bus” campaign.

Beginning Aug. 1, the group will have a bus parked at Walmart and will be collecting school supplies for students, teachers and school nurses in the public schools in Butler County.

Those who can, should help fill the bus with supplies our students will need for the upcoming school year.

It’s a chance for us all to have a positive impact on the students who may one day be the leaders of our community or even our country.

It’s an easy way to make a big difference.

For more information on how you can help out, call 382-8585 or 382-5002.