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ShareFest to benefit school, fire stations |
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Thursday, 20 November 2008 |
More than 100 volunteers from Saline County churches plan to unite Saturday in a day of service and celebration that will bring special benefits to a local school and three fire stations.
The event, known as ShareFest, involves around 3,500 volunteers from Central Arkansas churches in a wide variety of community projects.
Saline County volunteers are focusing on a local school — Hurricane Creek Elementary in Benton. (The school is part of the Bryant School District.)
Three Benton fire stations also will benefit from improvements made by local churches and volunteers from the Torch Club, which is part of the Boys & girls Club of Bryant.
Hurricane Creek Elementary Principal Wanda Beggs said students and teachers are “excited to partner with ShareFest this year.”
“Through their efforts, our students will be afforded a safe route to the campus from the neighboring apartment complex,” she said. “The project also will include planting 1,000 jonquil bulbs to commemorate the school’s first anniversary.”
Other work planned for the school will include painting court lines on the basketball court, and math instructional areas, such as number lines, geometric shapes, and foursquare and hopscotch, Beggs said.
Ragan Fire Station on Edison Avenue and and Curtis Fire Station at Browning and Winchester streets will benefit from the project, as well as Woodall Central Station in Downtown Benton.
Ragan and Curtis stations will be landscaped and improvements made to the facilities; workout areas and sleeping quarters.
A photo of “Molly,” the 1930 fire engine, will become a wall-size mural at Ragan Station.
Volunteers plan to build cabinets at Woodall Central Station.
Ron Franks, ShareFest coordinator for Highland Heights Baptist Church, said: “We want to make the fire stations a more inviting place for our local heroes. We hope to continue building relationships with our community.”
Joe McKee is serving as coordinator for Fellowship Bible Church in Benton, another of the participating churches in Saturday’s event.
“We want to serve our community with no strings attached,” McKee said. “The time spent working alongside our neighbors is what ShareFest is all about. We want people to understand that it’s not about painting and landscaping, but its about building lasting relationships.
“We want to set aside a day to serve those who give so much to making our community a better place to live,” McKee added.
Crews plans to be at the work sites from 8:30 a.m. until noon.
Anyone who desires more information about the project may call Shannon Wood at 315-150 or Carolyn Buckner at 224-7171.
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