The spirit of giving back hit a whole new level this year when multiple high school clubs spanning two communities rallied efforts for Children’s Haven, an organization in Joplin that helps families in times of crisis.
The Carthage High School chapters of FBLA and DECA organized a drive October-December that collected 1,263 pairs of shoes and money donations from the Carthage and Sarcoxie high schools, as well as collection boxes across the community.
“Seeing the big impact high schoolers can make never fails to be heartwarming,” said CHS student and FBLA member Mya Davison. “The shoe drive was special for me as working with our community is a huge part of our mission.”
The key organizers of this effort were CHS students Yasmin Maldonado Vasquez and Gracelynn Dougless, and they always made it clear that helping Children’s Haven was the goal, but the cause went international.
Some of the shoes are going to micro-entrepreneurs in developing nations so they may sell them to sustain their families. One such country is Haiti, where a widowed woman is supporting five children. When she receives the shoes, she re-sells them to turn her $2/week income to $30/week.
Participating community members in this effort were: CHS Tech Center, CJHS, Columbian and Pleasant Valley elementary schools, Early Childhood Center and PAT, Race Brothers, Midwest Ag, SMB locations and Specialty Risk Insurance.
Chuck-a-Duck
An addition to the shoe drive, FBLA hosted a fun event during the CHS Super Night home basketball game. Guests purchased little rubber ducks to throw center-court to win half the proceeds. After the winner made a donation to the cause, the effort raised $93.
The Tiger Alley Spirit Store gave 10 percent of their proceeds from that night to the Children’s Haven.
Find more information about Children’s Haven and the services they provide at childrens-haven.org.
