American Pickers looking for local treasures | Mt. Airy News – Mount Airy News
January 20, 2023
Teens sometimes are labeled as self-absorbed and having bad attitudes, but such assessments are unfair when one considers the accomplishments of groups such as the Surry Central High School Interact Club.
That was highlighted during a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Mount Airy which featured a speech by Katie O’Neal, the president of th…….
Teenagers typically are labeled as self-absorbed and having dangerous attitudes, however such assessments are unfair when one confacetrs the accomplishments of teams Similar to a Outcome of the Surry Central Highschool Work together Membership.
That was extremelighted all by way of a current meeting of the Rotary Membership of Mount Ethereal which featured a speech by Katie O’Neal, the prefacetnt of the group at Surry Central, and an Work together pinning ceremony.
The Mount Ethereal Rotarians sponsors it and completely different Work together golf equipment Inside the native district. The Work together program is a department of the Rotary group which is open to youths 12 to 18, Who’re Provided with alternatives to serve the group.
That is true of the Surry Central Work together Membership, for which Katie detailed An extfinished itemizing of tasks when addressing Rotary members at Cross Creek Nation Membership — saying these Might not have occurred with out their assist.
Many causes aided
Although COVID curtailed actions to some extent Infacet the previous yr or so, the Surry Central Highschool group — which had about 30 members Finally report — spearheaded Pretty A pair of tasks all by way of that interval which have included:
• Facilitating the creation of a “Take What You’d like Wall” On The varsity final March, offering free hygiene merchandise to scholars in need. This consists of toothbrushes, cleansing soap, lotion, deodorant, toothpreviouse and completely different gadgets.
These are placeed in A heavy-visitors hallway So as to be accessible to everyone. “People and groups all by way of the group And school have donated gadgets, and We’re On A daily basis in need of extra,” Katie added On the Rotary meeting, calling the Take What You’d like Wall her club’s “largest contrihoweverion” to The varsity.
• The sponsoring of a coat drive Inside the entrance foyer of The varsity the place scholars, school and group members have been requested to donate their gently used coats. Fifty coats have been collected and distrihowevered To extreme schools throughout the county.
Zibbys Drycleaners and Laundry cleaned The garments Freed from cost of cost.
• Providing Christmas presents for the Angel Tree program, for which Work together is the main sponsor at Surry Central. Through the 2021 journey season, members sponsored three Angel Tree youngsters, buying To fulfill their wants and making sure they enpleasureed A cheerful Christmas. The group furtherly spearheaded Angel Tree efforts for Christmas 2022.
• The Work together Membership’s participation in A school carnival all by way of which $800 was raised for the Dobson Meals Pantry.
• Amassing aid gadgets For particular persons in Florida after Hurricane Ian struck the state in September.
“We have been In a place to see our affect even by way of a small contrihoweverion,” Katie talked about.
• Serving to to sponsor Drug Prevention Week final April, when audio system from the group engaged with scholars To spotlight the wrestles Of particular persons on medicine.
The Surry County EMS and Surry Sheriff’s Office carried out simulations to further scholars’ education in drug prevention.
• Serving to A particular person whom Katie referred to as a “fantastic office assistant” recognized with breast most cancers, Julie Pratt. The Surry Central Work together Membership created, arranged and sponsored a charidesk event on her behalf final winter.
“We launched pleasure to The scholars and group by way of bake gross sales, pink strands Of affection and face painting — all at a basketball recreation on a Tuesday Evening time,” Katie informed Rotary members. “We have been In a place To Increase $8,000, and all of it went in the direction ofs Julie Pratt’s wrestle in the direction ofs most cancers.”
• Sponsoring and internet hosting a “Pink Out” soccer recreation in the direction ofs North Surry High in honor of Pratt and ancompletely different particular person, Anita Hull. Pink Out events typically are carried out all by way of Breast Cancer Consciousness Month in October To assist combOn the illness.
As An factor of what Katie referred to as “an outpouring of involvement in our district And school,” gadgets have been purchased, decorations have been Arrange and the stands crammed on Every facet in honor of Pratt and Hull. An complete of $4,500 was raised and distrihowevered to them.
“Gathering collectively To level out assist for these two superb women provided us with inspiration for further events,” the Work together Membership prefacetnt said.
• Fulfilling a objective for October by offering instructional alternatives at Surry Central the placeas elevating funds for charidesk causes. Work together sponsored Go Gold Week, all by way of which scholars and school could donate $2 to acquire a gold ribbon that confirmed their assist for ending childhood most cancers.
Items have been distrihowevered And information was given to further the group’s information Of youngsters Who’ve been battling the illness.
The problem raised $250, with all donations going to the Isabella Santos Foundation — a pediatric most cancers fund that spreads awareness.
• Collaborating in Purple Pinky Day on Oct. 24, when the club raised money for polio prevention the placeas educating scholars Regarding The outcomes of polio on the world. Greater than 100 scholars engaged Inside the effort by painting their pinkies purple, with all proceeds going to polio-prevention groups.
• Sponsoring Purple Ribbon Week in the direction of The prime of October To promote drug-abuse prevention. A desk was Arrange in entrance of the cafeteria all by way of lunch with merchandise, information and red ribbons. College students have been In a place to signal a banner stating their resolve To finish drug abuse.
Speakers furtherly gave reveals to scholars and movies have been proven in lecture rooms stressing the signalificance Of claiming no to medicine.
“Without the assist of Mount Ethereal Rotary, this event would have been inconceivable,” said Katie, who thanked Rotarians for offering banners, merchandise and actions.
• Hosting a seventh-annual dodgeball event for which particular persons paid a payment to enter teams consisting Of school members and scholars.
“Everyone Inside The varsity watched the battle between packages,” Katie associated. “We raised $120 and all proceeds went to evaluation for Huntington’s illness.”
• Holding a current Snowflake Ball that scholars have been excited over, collectively with creating, creating decorations for and promoting the event. All proceeds went to the Work together Widespread Fund Which will permit the club to sponsor and create A multitude of completely different events To revenue the district.
• Planning and finalizing The general setup for the opening of the Surry Central Clothes Closet to serve households in Surry County, which Katie said members have labored diligently to create and arrange And picked up a “multitude of donations” for Finally report.
• Gathering currently at a church Inside the Pine Hill group the place members packed 250 shoeboxes for the Samaritan’s Purse group
Rotary credited
“Without Mount Ethereal Rotary, We’d be unIn a place To rearrange and generate revenueable events that revenue Our school and district,” Katie suggested its members all by way of the current meeting.
“We want to Thanks all for assisting Work together’s involvement within our group,” she added. “You encourage us to be assisters, leaders and advocates — you encourage us to be extremeer.”
Together with revenueing the group, Work together involvement has permited members to develop lifelong expertise and understand The Want to advocate for change, the Surry Central scholar noticed.
