Cold weather gives students chance to help

By reaching out a helping hand, David Crockett High School students are working hard to turn this winter’s recent blasts into a blessing for area homeless.
“They’ve gotten very excited about this,” said Jessica Gourley of her students in DCHS’ Family, Career and Community Leaders of America club. “They’re starting to learn not to take things for granted, and they’re very receptive to helping.”
The club, which consists of about 40 students, decided to help by sponsoring a drive to fill Blessing Bags — bags that would hold needed items for homeless individiuals and families, as well as families needing to stay at the Ronald McDonald House.
Items included in the bags included such things as toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, combs, shampoo, razors, shaving cream and soap — anything you might need if you weren’t in your home, Gourley said.
The students filled the Blessing Bags, then worked to distribute them to appropriate locations.
“We all came up with the idea together,” Gourley said.
Their most recent visit was right before the last big snow, on Feb. 12.
“It went great,” Gourley said. “We delivered 106 bags — 70 to the Haven of Mercy and the rest to the Ronald McDonald House.
“We got it right in before the big snows came, so that was very helpful.”
Though everyone is hoping icy weather is now a thing of the past, Gourley said the students haven’t stopped working on their goal — to provide those who need it with a bit of assistance during difficult times. “This is an ongoing project,” Gourley said.