The Rabun-Gap Nacoochee Middle School’s Junior Thespian Troupe spent the school year developing a performance that could help meet a need in the Habersham community. The performance of The Rainbow Fish on Saturday, May 7th, was planned with two goals in mind. First, the students wanted to raise awareness of the need for diapers to help supply families in need through the Family Resource Center of Northeast Georgia (FRC). Second, the students wanted to collect as many diapers as possible to help meet that need.
That was the plan . . .
By the time, the first performance was presented, the students had already collected over 5,500 diapers within the Rabun-Gap Middle School and the Rabun-Gap Lower School. But there was just the beginning.
After the matinee performance was “sold out,” a second performance was added for the evening. Ticket prices were donations of diapers, diaper wipes, and money to purchase diapers.
To date, the students received $1,530 in monetary donations and over 9,000 individual diapers. To get an idea of what those 9,000 diapers are worth, it breaks down to 133 boxes of diapers at a value of $2,160. Plus the 77 packages of baby wipes received have a value of $680. All totaled, the students raised the equivalent of $4,370 in supplies that will help local families who need help.
Between the two performances, the students presented the play for foster kids in Habersham County. Troupe sponsor Amber Miller explains that the foster children and teens and their foster families “were treated to the play as well as popcorn, candy, and a drink, giving them a real theater experience.”
The Junior Thespian Troupe
The Junior Thespian Troupe includes 6th-8th grade middle-school students who love drama. They earn their way into the troupe by collecting points for participating in other drama and theater events at school. Amber says the students in the troupe are all leaders who step up to perform in other school productions and events as well.
During this 2021-2022 school year, the students, under Amber’s sponsorship, worked on the play, The Rainbow Fish. They designed and created most of the costumes themselves, blocked the scenes and choreographed several pieces for the play.
This was the second show the group has put on since it was created in 2019 (just before COVID). In 2021, the students developed a play to raise funding for Paws for Life. Because of COVID restrictions, the students performed the play seven times to small audiences who gathered outside to watch. They raised $2,000 for Paws for Life for their efforts.
Community support of the students
For The Rainbow Fish, the students received a lot of support from the community. When Megan Greiving, Amber’s friend who serves as the secretary on the FRC Board of Trustees, heard about what the students were doing, she jumped on-board as project partner, handling marketing for the event, and providing meals for students and volunteers for the day of performances. Chik-fil-A and Papa John’s in Cornelia and the Ingles in Clarkesville all donated food and drink for them.
Habersham Community Theater (HCT) also jumped on board, offering the John Kollock
Theater for the performances, enlisting volunteers, and setting up concessions to raise additional funds. Having just completed its run of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, HCT left some of the scenery from that performance for the students to use. Deangela Chastain, a volunteer at HCT, repainted the backdrop from the Narnia production with an under-sea mural. Amber shares that when the she and the students saw the mural, they were jumping up and down with excitement. ?Some even cried,” she said, “they were so overwhelmed by the mural painting.”
The Clarkesville Library loaned the seahorses created for this year’s summer reading program to be used as part of the scenery and several staff members served as volunteers. Habersham Central High School also lent costumes from a performance of The Rainbow Fish several years ago.
Family Resource Center’s need for diapers
According to Linda Johnson, the Executive Director of the Family Resource Center, they provide diapers to 500 families each year. These families are referred to FRC through the First Steps program at the Habersham Medical Center. Last year, with the increased cost of diapers and the increased need for help, the FRC ended the budget year way over budget. Johnson explains, “The FRC just doesn’t have the funding to allow us to continue to spend thousands of dollars on diapers. We have to be dependent on community support to meet this need.”
The Family Resource Center works to prevent child abuse and strengthen families in Habersham, White, Rabun, Stephens and Banks Counties. FRC’s funding comes through government grants, government agencies contracts, and community donations. For more information about their work, go to their website.
Donations of diapers and funding for diapers can be given at any time during the year. Donated items and funds can be dropped off by appointment or mailed to the Family Resource Center located at 122 North Laurel Drive, Clarkesville, GA 30523. Call 706-778-3100 to arrange an appointment.
This story was updated on May 9, 2022, at 8:42 p.m. with the totals of donations received.
