2009.04.16
Faith Christian students prepare to make a difference at the Salvation Army
Fourth-grader Brice Hinkle and eighth-graders Susannah Haig and Hannah Alley helped clear out part of a trail at Jubilee Acres during last year's Project Faith. Emily Flora SWoCo
On Friday, April 24 students, parents, and faculty from Faith Christian School will trade their books for the day and replace them with paint brushes and shovels and get down and dirty.
Students will be working at four locations at the Salvation Army Thrift Store, the main Corps Building and Community Center, the Red Shield Men's Lodge and the Turning Point Battered Women's Shelter. They will spend the day painting, organizing, landscaping, cleaning, mulching, organizing libraries and so much more.
Last year Faith Christian School conducted their community service project at Jubilee Acres, clearing paths, mulching, and rebuilding trails at the Rescue Mission summer day camp, all while having good fun and fellowship.
Once again, this event has become a highlight among students and the Faith Christian community and is still Faith Christian's only fundraising event during the school year. This year's goal was to raise $150,000 to go toward operating expenses, teacher salaries, educational materials and financial aid. Last year's goal was $120,000 and they raised over $134,000.
The purpose of Project Faith is to raise necessary funds for the school but also to provide a service for the Roanoke Valley. The project goes hand in hand with their motto, "Faith, Truth, and Service" and their vision statement, "A Mind for Truth, A Heart for Christ, A Will to Serve."
For the students, Student Government Association (SGA), and the faculty and parent volunteer committees, planning began last year. Back in February, students began seeking contributions for the event and for the past few weeks students have participated in assemblies to learn more about the Salvation Army, what they do and how they were going to help.
As for the committees and SGA, their work began even before that. Visiting the sites, planning teams, deciding on team colors, and all the logistics that go into getting the students to and from the Salvation Army, gathering supplies, and of course- planning the celebration afterward.
The Project Faith committees, consisting of parents and Faith Christian faculty have to think of everything like first aid, supplying water to all the parties involved, labeling the equipment they borrow so it can get back to its owner, gathering supplies before hand so that the equipment is on site when they get there, and a rain date (of course it's never rained on Project Faith...yet! Fingers crossed!).
And Kroger volunteered to donate racks for installation at the Salvation Army. They even held a clothing and book drive for the Salvation Army leading up to Project Faith.
Hannah Roller, a senior at Faith Christian and an SGA officer said they began working heavily on the project at the beginning of the semester.
"We've been trying to pick teams and officers which serve as mascots," Roller said. "It's been difficult because we've had our ideas and they've (the adult committee's) have had theirs. This year it is really neat because each senior will have kindergarten buddies. I think Project Faith is really neat because we don't have any other fundraisers all year. It's a chance for us to raise money and help the community."
SGA helps conduct Spirit/Color Wars, where each team, whether pink, red, or blue and their leaders raise spirit for Project Faith. Roller said this year they had the Power Rangers in mind when they chose the colors and will conduct skits to pump up the rest of the study body.
"The main thing we're trying to do is to communicate to the school what we are doing and the importance of it and to promote school spirit," Monica Pollard, a sophomore and Secretary of SGA said.
"It's been hard with three officers but it worked out with the three different teams. It's been really organized even though we usually have five officers. I'm very excited because with the little kids they're really excited because it's their life we are going to change."
As of last Wednesday (April 8), the students and corporate sponsors had already raised $110,000 with two and a half weeks left to meet their goal. On that same day, students gathered together for an assembly for Project Faith during which they learned that instead of shaving Headmaster Samuel Cox's head, like they did the last few years, that this year they'd get to shave Diane Kelly's head- if they reached their goal.
Diane Kelly chose to offer her head to be shaved this year in honor of her sister, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and everyone else with cancer.
"It was so moving," Susan Childs said. "We were all in tears."
Throughout the year the school has been collecting donations to meet their goal. They send out about 4,000 letters on March 12 for their cause.
And after all is said and done on Friday, April 24, the students will head back to Faith Christian and partake in hot dogs, chips, and popsicles and games like flag football, soccer, and ultimate frisbee.
Be on the lookout for photos from Faith Christian's Project Faith!
