VHS baseball delivers 150+ hams & turkeys
The Vandegrift Baseball Booster Club held its second annual Honey Baked Ham fundraiser this month, and it also helped families in need.
Viper baseball players sold hams, turkeys, sides and gift cards to the greater Four Points community and delivered the goodies directly to more than 150 customers on Nov. 17.
“They were on time and moved quickly to get all the orders delivered in a very short timeframe. It took great teamwork to pull it off,” said Cathy Gilbert, who spearheaded the fundraiser.
The fundraiser also gave the players a chance to give back as they delivered over 40 meals to families in need through a partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area.
“This is a great fundraiser because the boys are involved in selling and delivering, and we’re selling something that many in the community would buy anyway at the same price they would pay in the store. The delivery is a bonus,” said Laurie Moore, booster president. “Because we deliver directly to the customer, the Viper baseball players have an opportunity to thank those that support our program.”
The VHS baseball program is selling hams and turkeys again for Christmas. The deadline to order is Dec. 15 and deliveries will be made on Dec. 22.
Lady Viper BB donates Soles4Souls
Vandegrift Lady Viper basketball players work together on a community service project to benefit others.
“All of the girls in our Lady Viper Basketball program did an amazing job of collecting and donating shoes for the Soles4Souls organization,” said Jonathan Jones, head coach. “Together, we collected over 250 pairs of shoes to help others in need. It was great to see our girls be so generous and excited about the opportunity to serve others.”
Contributed by Allison Ely, volunteer with Lady Viper Basketball.
VHS students fill blessing bags for those in need
Family Career Community Leaders of America member Charlotte Saggers fills a blessing bag during the club’s Thanksgiving party earlier this month.
By DELILAH WOODS, Vandegrift Voice
For Thanksgiving, Family Career Community Leaders of America made care bags for the homeless. Vandegrift students in the organization are distributing these bags filled with daily commodities whenever they see anyone in need.
“Each individual person made a blessing bag,” said Harshita Avirneni, VHS junior and vice president. “We get to put the bag in our cars, and then when we see a homeless person we can give from a bag.”
The blessing bags gave students in FCCLA an opportunity to give back to the community. Students were able to personalize their bags as well, adding hand-written notes like Daria Fontani, a junior and chapter officer, did.
“The bags have a large variety of items including mini water bottles, granola bars, bandaids, mints, wipes, and tissues,” Fontani said. “Additionally, each of my bags has a handwritten note meant to encourage the person receiving it and to let them know they are loved and appreciated in this world.”
FCCLA members formed this idea with the intent of spreading generosity and happiness to those in need.
“We wanted to spread the idea that generosity is important and everyone deserves to feel appreciated,” said Camille Digiamo, VHS senior and president. “It’s always good to help out.”
The organization encourages others to take on their own projects to help others to make the world a better place.
“By participating, I hope to send out the message to others that it is easy and feasible to make someone’s day,” Fontani said. “Giving up some of your own time is so very worth it, when it means someone else’s quality of life is improved.”