As the juniors and sophomores tackled state testing, a total of 105 seniors dedicated 3 hours to community service and giving back by stepping up and helping at various places in the Omaha area. Forty seniors went Fontenelle Park, thirty went to the Heartland Hope Mission, twenty went to Good Will Industries, and 15 went to the Sienna Francis House.
At Heartland Hope Mission they give to help working poor families by providing them with some of life’s most basic necessities including: a week’s supply of food, clothing, hygiene products, community referrals and Job resources. Senior volunteer Katelyn Brachtel discusses what she got from working with Heartland by reflecting on a moment of self-awareness and shift in mindset from what could potentially be wasteful to generosity.
“It definitely makes me think like all the clothes that I don’t wear, I should donate them. Stuff that I don’t use like toys or whatever. Instead of throwing them away, you donate them to places,” Brachtel said.
The day started at 9 am, where the group was split in three, one group organized through food whether it was packaged, processed goods, or fresh and organic foods. The second group put said food in bags to be put on shelves where people in need will come in single file lives and supply themselves with necessities. The third and last group went through clothes as people who donate clothes get sorted out by mens, womens, and children which are then placed in bags to be hanged up to create a “shopping” environment. Senior Kaiya Sharpe expresses her takeaways from the organization.
“Just being kind because you don’t know what people are going through and just being there for others,” Sharpe explained.
As a faith-based organization, the Mission starts all volunteering with a prayer and every clothing and food touched should be blessed.
In regards to Senior Service day as a whole Ella Hall says,“I think we should have more of them. Honestly, I mean seniors always like to get out of school, but it’s also, everybody that went, had fun and it was good interacting with different people that I don’t see every day now.”
The service days take seniors a step out of their usual routine to bring people together. Not only connecting with the community as a whole but the small community that is Papillion La-Vista South Senior Day of Service gave Papillion La Vista South seniors a chance to give back, bond with classmates, and make a real difference in the community. It was a great way to wrap up their high school journey and leave a positive mark before graduation.
