Lew-Port Builders Club: Serving the community

by Nathaniel Swanson,

Builders Club Secretary

Lewiston-Porter Middle School's Builders Club has begun a new school year of serving our community.

Our members have already had the opportunity to volunteer at many events. One of these events was Lewiston's Peach Festival. Working at the Peach Festival food tent is an annual favorite for many members.

Children from the area and many members also look forward to the story hours we host at the Youngstown Library the third Saturday of each month. Children are eager to come and listen to stories read aloud by the Builders Club members. Following the stories, crafts are made that relate to the theme for the month. Some of the most popular are the edible treats the children design and eat.

The annual Youngstown Halloween Party at the Youngstown Red Brick is another favorite for the community and myself. Children had a "spooktacular" time parading in costumes and enjoying games, snacks, and crafts. Halloween brings crisp and brisk temperatures, and with the colder weather quickly approaching the Builders Club just wrapped up the 2011 Coat Drive. Working with the Key Club and the K-Kids, we collected winter clothing for the Magdalene Project in Niagara Falls. Currently, we are hosting the St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Drive here at the Lewiston-Porter Middle School. The food and coats will benefit the needy in our community.

All these activities and events, under the leadership of Mrs. Tina Oddy, provide myself and the other Builders Club members with volunteer opportunities to serve our school and community. We have the opportunity to help others, and in doing so we help ourselves. We learn, we grow, and we are able to build a better future for our community and ourselves.

The Builders Club will continue in its mission this year with upcoming events such as the Lewiston Christmas Walk and Habitat for Humanity on Dec. 3 and 4. The Habitat for Humanity fundraiser takes place this year at the Brickyard in Lewiston. Children come to make gingerbread houses, and the proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity.

Dec. 10 is another date to remember. Youngstown's Christmas in the Village will provide holiday spirit for the young and old alike. We look forward to providing comfort and food at the soup kitchens, helping at school events, and volunteering in the many other activities and events throughout the school year and summer. For a complete list of planned activities for the 2011-12 school year, check out the middle school website (www.lew-port.com) and click on clubs.

I look forward to the upcoming year with the Builders Club as we continue to build a better community and future.