Students and staff at Black Mountain Elementary are dedicated to supporting their community. This holiday season, students decorated miniature Christmas trees to give to residents at Mountain Ridge Wellness Center. Together, the school was able to decorate 97 trees, a project made possible by a donation from Safeway Storage in Black Mountain. Teacher Ann Bell was moved by the project and the work each student put into making each tree special.
“Each patient will receive their very own tree this year,” Ms. Bell said. “I figured this would be a fun service project for the entire school and a great way to give back to the community that has given so much to us.”
Students couldn’t wait to show off their creativity and were proud to play a role in something bigger than themselves.
“Some classes had parent volunteers that came in to help with the process,” Ms. Bell explained. “We have students who have relatives at the nursing home, so they really understand the importance of giving back.”
Ms. Bell said that this time of year it’s important to teach children about the importance of community service and giving generously to others.
“It’s important no matter what age to remember the true meaning of the holiday season. This has been a great way for our young people to see that not everyone will get a present this year, or have visitors during the holidays. It really brightens the residents when they see their tree in their room,” she stated.