NewsStudent LifeFaculty/StaffPre-K to 8Service
Middle School shares true spirit of Christmas
Dec 13, 2002 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
Middle School students have been busily helping others in their community beginning with their annual effort to help Angel Express, a local all-volunteer, independent, non-profit organization. The Middle School joins many others in the Rome community to help the program by collecting new or used toys, books, and clothing of all sizes to be distributed by Angel Express.
Angel Express collects the donations and, about a week before Christmas, representatives from over 60 local social service agencies in Rome and Floyd County will come by and select toys and clothing that they distribute free of charge to their clients of all ages. Many older adults work all year making doll beds, doll clothing, quilts, and such for children. “The purpose of Angel Express is to bring joy to those who receive and a sense of purpose to those who give to the organization,” Janet Baltzer, volunteer founder and director, said.
The Middle School also responded to a request from the Georgia School of the Deaf to help nine special needs students by providing clothing. The students collected a large bag of clothing as well as a couple of toys and personal items for each.
Lower School students joined forces with the Middle School to collect clothing to fulfill a request for children’s clothing made by Alice Harrison Williams, a counselor at Pepperell Elementary School. Nancy Ivester rallied the Middle School; Diane Lumpkin organized a Lower School effort; and Upper School science instructor Donald Sweeney even got into the act by donating a large bag of clothing. “I delivered the clothing from the three schools, and Alice was overwhelmed,” Nancy Ivester, Middle School instructor, said.
For the sixteenth consecutive year, Darlington Middle School students held the annual Rebecca Blaylock Child Development Center Christmas Party, Dec. 10, in Dodd Dining Room on the Upper School campus. Nearly 100 children from the day-care center accepted gifts, entertainment, and an abundance of attention from about 185 Middle School students. The Mother’s Club served refreshments and Santa even made an appearance. “All the Middle School teachers participate in making this event a happy one for our students, as well as the children from Rebecca Blaylock,” LaVance Atkins, Middle School librarian, who organizes the event.
In January, the Middle School will focus on collecting paper products, such as paper towels, paper plates, tissues, toilet paper, and napkins, for Hospitality House. “We try to do at least one community service project a month during the school year,” Ivester said. Anyone who wants to donate paper goods can drop them off at the Middle School during the school day.
Angel Express collects the donations and, about a week before Christmas, representatives from over 60 local social service agencies in Rome and Floyd County will come by and select toys and clothing that they distribute free of charge to their clients of all ages. Many older adults work all year making doll beds, doll clothing, quilts, and such for children. “The purpose of Angel Express is to bring joy to those who receive and a sense of purpose to those who give to the organization,” Janet Baltzer, volunteer founder and director, said.
The Middle School also responded to a request from the Georgia School of the Deaf to help nine special needs students by providing clothing. The students collected a large bag of clothing as well as a couple of toys and personal items for each.
Lower School students joined forces with the Middle School to collect clothing to fulfill a request for children’s clothing made by Alice Harrison Williams, a counselor at Pepperell Elementary School. Nancy Ivester rallied the Middle School; Diane Lumpkin organized a Lower School effort; and Upper School science instructor Donald Sweeney even got into the act by donating a large bag of clothing. “I delivered the clothing from the three schools, and Alice was overwhelmed,” Nancy Ivester, Middle School instructor, said.
For the sixteenth consecutive year, Darlington Middle School students held the annual Rebecca Blaylock Child Development Center Christmas Party, Dec. 10, in Dodd Dining Room on the Upper School campus. Nearly 100 children from the day-care center accepted gifts, entertainment, and an abundance of attention from about 185 Middle School students. The Mother’s Club served refreshments and Santa even made an appearance. “All the Middle School teachers participate in making this event a happy one for our students, as well as the children from Rebecca Blaylock,” LaVance Atkins, Middle School librarian, who organizes the event.
In January, the Middle School will focus on collecting paper products, such as paper towels, paper plates, tissues, toilet paper, and napkins, for Hospitality House. “We try to do at least one community service project a month during the school year,” Ivester said. Anyone who wants to donate paper goods can drop them off at the Middle School during the school day.
