By Amy Werdine, For Vikings.com

The Vikings and Hy-Vee joined forces for a school supply tailgate at four different Hy-Vee locations in Brooklyn Park, Lakeville, New Hope and Oakdale last month to collect school supplies, meet and interact with Vikings players and get ready to go back to school. Together, with the community, they collected almost 3,000 donated items that were delivered to eight different local elementary schools.

"Like the Vikings, Hy-Vee has a culture centered around giving back to its local communities," said Brad Waller, Hy-Vee's Assistant Vice President of Community Relations. "Countless children now have the school supplies they need thanks to the Hy-Vee customers and Vikings fans who supported our school supply tailgate events across the Twin Cities."

Viktor the Viking and Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders visited schools on Thursday and Friday to help representatives from Hy-Vee and the Vikings deliver the supplies. They gave presentations to classes, handed out gifts and got the kids excited about going back to school and cheering on the Vikings. The kids and staff wore their purple and gold in support of the Vikings and were excited to be part of the school supply drive.

"It's really exciting to be able to partner with Hy-Vee and the Vikings to get some things for kids who otherwise would not have what they need for kicking off a successful school year," said Cristy Larsen, the instructional support coach at Zachary Lane Elementary.

Principal Tracy Buhl at Oakdale Elementary, home of almost 600 elementary students, echoed a similar thankfulness for the supplies.

"As a school district we don't have a ton of money to buy school supplies for kids, so often times teachers will go out and buy supplies on their own and spend their own money to do that," Buhl said. "We are super grateful to get any supplies. We have many students who come to us without even a backpack. "