In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Tallulah Falls School (TFS) students dedicated their Service Day to assisting community members in need. On Tuesday, October 1, fifth-grade students visited Get Real Ministries in Baldwin, where they cleared storm debris and packed Halloween candy bags for the community.
The students also transported a pallet of water from Get Real Ministries to the Habersham County Airport for delivery to Western North Carolina.
“We are so blessed; we are sharing with others. We want to bring hope, bring a light to our community,” said Jimmy Franklin, a student involved in the service project. This initiative was part of the school’s “Be the Light” program, which sees a different grade level partnering with Get Real Ministries each month on service projects.
An important life skill
On Friday, October 5, over 300 upper school students participated in Service Day, contributing their efforts to various organizations, including Circle of Hope, Rabun Paws 4 Life Shelter, Sharing and Caring, Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, North Georgia Christian Camp, Lighthouse Learning Coop, and the Tallulah Gorge State Park Interpretive Center.
Students engaged in a range of activities, including cleaning up storm debris, organizing and sorting donations, teaching a STEM class, painting fences, and caring for animals.
“Together, we can transform things like painting a fence into a symbol of our unity and commitment to our community,” said TFS junior Selah Wiltshire, a student participant. “We can paint a brighter future one stroke at a time.”
Jeremy Stille, upper school academic dean, highlighted the importance of Service Day in providing students with an opportunity to give back and reflect on their blessings, stating, “Especially with the recent devastation from Hurricane Helene, our students’ choice to give time and energy to help others shows strong character and a sense of caring that we want our students to develop.”
TFS junior Kaylin Pickett said the out-of-classroom experience taught her about gratitude and “one of the most important life skills – the importance of serving others.”
“I am grateful to have the ability to help others,” she said.
