School gives thanks to volunteers
Monday through Friday parents can breathe a sigh of relief and know their children will be safe walking to and from school all thanks to the volunteer crossing guards who dedicate hours of their time to improve the school’s safety conditions.
Monday through Friday parents can breathe a sigh of relief and know their children will be safe walking to and from school all thanks to the volunteer crossing guards who dedicate hours of their time to improve the school’s safety conditions.
Wild Horse Elementary held an appreciation luncheon for all the school volunteers including crossing guards and readers. Readers are volunteers who spend time guiding and listening to first and second graders read aloud.
“The kids love having someone there to listen to them read, and they don’t just read, they talk to them about what’s going on in their life and they make connections with them,” said Denise Montgomery, organizer of the crossing guard program.
There are 33 volunteers in total who help out Wild Horse Elementary. The crossing guard program has been going on for 12 years and the readers have been supporting the children’s education for the past eight years.
Volunteers such as Plains resident Bill Beck come in every Monday to listen to a child read before heading outside to make sure they cross the road safely. It’s people like Beck who were honored Wednesday with a free lunch and given a gift certificate to The Butcher’s Nook for their time spent helping the kids.
Montgomery said Elementary Principal Jim Holland and Plains schools superintendent Richard Magera have both been instrumental in supplying the resources to show the school’s appreciation to all of the volunteers.
“Without their volunteer work we wouldn’t be as successful as we are,” said Montgomery.
Helping serve food at the luncheon was elementary title one teacher Gena Ferlan. Ferlan said they used to hold a small banquet for the volunteers, but last year they decided to add to it by offering the volunteers a free meal.
The readers are also given a picture of the kids they have helped throughout the year as a keepsake.
Questions or comments on this story can be dircted to Danielle Switalski at reporter@vp-mi.com or 826-3402.