In just four hours, Durant High School’s Senior Council collected seven bags worth of trash during a clean-up project June 30, at Ben Davis Beach.
The project was part of the council’s goal to complete one community service project a month until its members graduate in May 2015.
“Most councils make it a job to go out into the community,” said Kevin O’Hare, community relations officer for the council. “We wanted to take it one step further by doing it every month. It’s senior year, and for a lot of us, it’s the last year at home. We want to make an impact.”
The council met after exams last year semester to decide on their first project. The beach seemed like the perfect place to hold a summer event.
“We wanted to get out in the community and have fun doing it at the same time,” O’Hare said.
The recreational area runs the sides of the Courtney Campbell Causeway in Westshore. It’s frequented by boaters and sunbathers alike, making it a breeding ground for trash. From cigarette butts to lost cellphones, the crew of almost 30 found a never-ending variety of left behind objects.
“Anything you can think of, it was there,” O’Hare said. “It was kind of disturbing.”
Now, they have their sights set on the next event planned in August, when the majority of members get back from summer vacations. They want to stick to the Plant City area for most of the future projects. In November, they want to focus on helping out March of Dimes since the month is Prematurity Awareness Month. Other projects include working with veterans, whether it be sending care packages to deployed service members or families at home in need.
With one event already under their belt, the council is well on its way of achieving its goal.
“This was a complete success, and I want the community to know that we as the Class of 2015 will be doing a lot more of these kinds of projects — not for ourselves but to give back to a community that has given us so much,” Senior Class President Lindsay Robinson said.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
NEED HELP?
If you have a project idea for Durant High School’s senior council contact Kevin O’Hare at kevin.ohare@rocketmail.com or at (813) 446-5302.
