Merced Scholars Charter School recently adopted a community service project to assist Hurricane Katrina victims that were locating to Fresno.  Through the school’s Student Organization, student members decided their first community service endeavor would be best targeted to giving their time to assisting in this effort.  Mary Green, the school’s Career Educator and Advisor for the Student Organization, contacted the Fresno Chamber of Commerce to inquire about local actions being taken to assist hurricane victims arriving in Fresno.  She was directed to Central Valley Thread, an organization just developed to collect a variety of goods, from clothes to household items for the new residents arriving in Fresno.  After receiving the green light from the Central Valley Thread Project Director, Penny Chandler, Merced Scholars students quickly began their work.

For two weeks, students hit the streets of Atwater and Merced, posting flyers for assistance as well as contacting their families and friends to help with the collection process.  They were overwhelmed with the response and ended their project with 30 bags of clothing.  The students were also delighted with their collection of teddy bears for younger victims.

MSCS student Adriel Montemayor hanging clothes at Central Valley Thread.

However, collection of the goods was not the end of the students’ efforts.  Four students and one parent then accompanied Mary Green and school secretary, Cindy Strange, to personally take their goods to Central Valley Thread on a Saturday.  The experience of actually working at the location, brought new meaning to the word “service” for Freshmans, Michelle Bullock, Tiffany Bailey, and Andrew Roberts and sophomore Adriel Montemayor.  On Saturday, September 24th the four students assisted other volunteers at the Central Valley Thread location, a warehouse that had been converted into the clothing outlet.  They helped to organize the truckloads of merchandise in preparation to open the doors for the Hurricane victims who would soon be arriving in Fresno.

Michelle Bullock summarized her experience with the following, “Going to Central Valley Thread and helping the hurricane victims was an awesome experience. Although I didn’t work with the people (victims) personally, I know that they were greatly  helped by this effort.  Not only did people donate clothes, but companies like Old Navy donated brand new clothes and bags for the people.  Being a part of this was amazing.   I truly believe that many people will be blessed by this.”

MSCS student Michelle Bullock sorting clothing at Central Valley Thread.

Tiffany Bailey also walked away from her day of participation with a sense of making a difference and expressed, “I was happy I was able to make a difference in someone’s life and I liked seeing how I can get involved in the community.”

MSCS parent, Paula Bullock, and student, Tiffany Bailey, sorting through clothing at Central Valley Thread.