Final event preceded by service days

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

A flurry of Tuesday events at Peabody-Burns High School and beyond will lead up to Peabody’s Giving Tuesday event sponsored by Peabody Community Foundation.

PCF board member and high school science teacher Ann Leppke said students don’t get school credit for the projects they do in support of the effort, but they learn that life isn’t simply about what they get for themselves.

“I’m continually amazed at how giving this community is,” Leppke said.

Each of November’s three Tuesdays prior to the 28th will have a community project theme.

The theme for Nov. 7 is “Be Neighborly.” Participants are encouraged to rake leaves, visit, babysit, or do another kind act for a neighbor.

“Anything for somebody in their neighborhood,” Leppke said. “I don’t even care if they go across town. We want kids involved and we want everybody in the community to do this, not just our students.”

Leppke said students’ kind acts will be posted in the hallways Nov. 28 for community members to see when they attend Winterfest.

The theme for Nov. 14 is a community food drive, she said. Collection boxes for non-perishable food will be located at Peabody Market, Peabody Senior Center, Vintage Bank and the school buildings.

“We’ll collect them and take them to the food bank,” Leppke said.

The theme for Nov. 21 is a care facility shower. Participants are encouraged to donate games, puzzles, coloring books, markers, pencils, blank greeting cards, envelopes, stamps, and similar items for recreational purposes. Collection boxes will be at the same locations as the food drive.

“We’re looking for donations that Westview, Peabody Rehabilitation, and the Senior Center can use,” Leppke said. “We’ll collect them all and divide them between the facilities.”

The reason the high school wanted to get involved is to cement the relationship between the community and the school.

“It’s a win-win when our students get out in the community,” Leppke said. “The students learn an ethic of service and the community benefits from their energetic visits and the work they accomplish.”

Giving Tuesday and Winterfest will take place Nov. 28 at the high school. A soup supper will kick off at 5 p.m. with community and school displays highlighting things done in support of Giving Tuesday. The evening will conclude with the Winterfest program beginning at 7 p.m. with entertainment by high school winter sports teams, cheerleaders, and pep band.

“We did this last year in conjunction with Giving Tuesday,” Leppke said. “We introduce our winter sports teams and our pep band. They warm up a little bit. They pick their songs and do a dance routine. The crowd picks the winner. Last year the girls won and they are defending their title this year.”

Giving Tuesday is a global day dedicated to giving back. For more information, contact Leppke at (620) 983-2196.