Valley Groups Host Free Meal

AKRON - Tragedy can bring people closer together, but it doesn't have to be the only thing that does.

Sunday, two Tippecanoe Valley High School groups provided the school corporation community a free Thanksgiving dinner at the high school. Students, Teachers Advocating Racial Tolerance and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes joined together to serve anyone who attended a meal of mashed potatoes, turkey and noodles, seasoned green beans, mixed fruit, pumpkin bars and a choice of milk or punch.

Ivy Lyvers, START co-sponsor, said, "The kids did an outstanding job today." They came in about three hours prior to the meal to pitch in and do what was necessary to make the dinner happen. Before Sunday, they helped with the promotion of the dinner to get the word out to the community and to students. Lyvers said she was very thankful to work with the top-notch students, and said it will be exciting the new few years to work with students to get the Tippecanoe Valley community to come together as one.

Senior and START member Nathan Shepherd said the free dinner came out of a joint FCA and START meeting. The dinner would allow the groups to build bridges in the community and help spread the message of Christ.

Holly Williamson, a senior START member, said planning took about a month. Each student pitched in about $5, and others also provided donations. Pizza Hut, she said, also provided crayons for children attending the dinner to color pictures with before and after the meal.

FCA member and senior A.J. Austin said there was no real number set of the amount of people they wanted to get to attend. Enough food was prepared for 300, with about 110 to 145 actually showing up Sunday.

"I'm pumped," said Austin about the number of people there.

"I'm pretty happy with it," agreed Shepherd.

Williamson said the dinner will be an annual event. "I'm sure the juniors will take over and step up. We have amazing group leaders, too," she said.

From the experience, Austin said the students learned more about leadership and how to put an event together.

School board member Mark Wise was one of the people attending the community dinner. He said he saw the event as a good thing that can help bring the Valley community together.

"I'd like to see a few more people come," he said. "... It'll be like most everything else, it's a building process."

John and Kristi Neer, Akron, took their two children to the free dinner. "I think it's a great idea," said Kristi. "It's a nice chance to get the community together."

Janet Lee and her son Justin Siede, both of Mentone, attended after Siede asked Lee to go with him.

"I thought it was cool, very nice," Lee said. "I've never had anything like this, had a school sponsor a dinner for the community."

Both mother and son said they'll be back at the future dinners.

After the dinner, FCA and START members spoke of what each of them were thankful for in their lives - friends, families, God, school and the tight-knit community that helped them get through the past week's tragedy of the death of TVHS senior Patrick Day. They then led a singing of two songs, "We Gather Together" and "Turkey Dinner."

Lyvers encouraged anyone who knew of a needy person to take them some of the leftover food from the dinner.

Pastor Steve Austin concluded the event by speaking for a few minutes on how God is watching as we go through our daily lives. He talked about the accident Nov. 12 that killed Day and how it was good that TVHS faculty and staff gave students the space, time and place to grieve. Tragedies allow people to reconnect, he said, if not to family then to God.

Austin also encouraged everyone to rejoice in the good in our lives, recall the good things God has done for us and recommit to a life of thanksgiving.