WFCS Takes Part In Community Cleanup

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WFCS Takes Part In Community Cleanup

BY FRANCINE FULTON

Helping beautify local parks and neighborhoods while raising money for the school is the goal of the annual West Fallowfield Christian School (WFCS) Trash Stash.

As part of the program, WFCS students and their parents give up a Saturday to pick up trash along roadways and at local parks as part of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s annual “Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful” roadside trash pickup program.

During this year’s event, held on April 2, approximately 200 students from preschool through eighth grade, along with their parents, participated in the cleanup. Some of the participants traveled by school bus and car to area destinations.

Worksites included Paradise Community Park in Gordonville, Silver Maple Farm in Cochranville, Salisbury Township Community Park (also known as Gap Park) and The Parkesburg POINT youth center. Some students stayed at WFCS to clean up the playground and take part in other cleaning projects. One group picked up trash along the roadway around McClure’s Bakery, the post office and Turkey Hill, all located in Gap.

“Seventh- and eighth-graders, our oldest (group of students), went to Route 10 at Hershey Market, Walmart and Leike Road picking up trash,” said Michelle Bonk, WFCS director of development, noting that all participants wore orange safety vests and gloves provided by the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful program.

To raise money, WFCS students sent donation letters to their friends and relatives. “They sent letters to their family asking if they were willing to donate to our school for this event - basically sponsoring them for their few hours of community service,” Bonk explained.

In addition, students took part in a letter-writing campaign asking for donations from businesses in the area. “We set a goal of 650 letters, but they sent well over 700,” Bonk reported. “We had both ways available - email or (hand-written) letters. Most families opted to use ‘snail mail.’”

On April 22, the school hosted a Trash Stash celebration, where prizes were awarded to those who raised the most money. All students were provided with Rita’s Italian Ice.