Not many high school seniors keep a close eye on the economy, but this year has been a little different.
Lia York, a senior at the west campus of Conway High School, has not only been thinking about the ups and downs the economy has taken this year, but the toll it has had on local families.
This is why York, along with two of her classmates, is lending a helping hand this holiday season, through a project for the school's Family, Career and Community Leaders of America club.
"In FCCLA there is a program called STAR Events, which stands for Students Taking Action with Recognition, where you take on a certain aspect of your community and then figure out a way to improve it," York said Monday. "We picked a focus on the children as our aspect and we came up with a clothing drive that also includes things like food and toys and school supplies."
This drive, which is being headed up by York, senior Megan Clymer and junior Kristen Farris, is known across the Conway community as Filling the Homes.
Although it started with passing out fliers in the neighborhoods where the girls' friends and families live, the project has moved to include Conway as a whole.
According to York, for the past few weeks the girls have been stationed at Laurel Park to advertise for the drive and collect goods from passersby. Since the time change though, the girls have moved to the Mr. Quik Lube located on Hogan Lane, near Prince Street.
Interested donors can visit this Mr. Quik Lube location from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and Sundays and from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturdays.
This collection will be ongoing until Saturday, Nov. 22, York added.
The girls welcome any gently-used items, from books to toys for kids of all ages to non-perishable snacks anything a kid in need would be delighted to see under his Christmas tree.
"We are putting Christmas baskets together and we'll have one for each elementary school that will go to a specific family as determined by the counselors," York said. "And we also have a family with 14 children who actually called us and said they are in a really bad situation right now and can't do anything for Christmas so we are going to make sure those kids have something special, too."
According to York, all leftover donations will be put to good use at the Bethlehem House, HAVEN (Help for Abuse Victims in Emergency Need) House and the Agape Shelter.
York said the recipients of the community's donations are sure to have happier holidays because of the generosity of their Conway neighbors during a time when funds can come up short.
"We decided since there are a lot of parents right now struggling with the economic situation being so bad, they probably can't do everything they want for the holidays, so we just want to try to make their Christmases a little better," York said.
York said she and her classmates are also encouraging raising the number of donations by promoting friendly competition among the students at the west campus. She said every second period class has been working hard to be the top group to bring in the most items.
(Staff writer Jessica Bauer can be reached by e-mail at jessica.bauer@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
