WCHS Students BLITZ The Community

One hundred forty-eight Warsaw Community High School students signed up to volunteer at 17 local places Friday.
It was all part of the school’s annual Bringing Light Into the Tiger Zone volunteer day organized by the student council.
“It took some time to find all the organizations,” said Cody Shafer, sophomore student council president and this year’s BLITZ organizer. “We’re making our community a better place. It’s the Tiger way!” Shafer said.
Shafer was volunteering at the YMCA. Some of the other locations the 148 students volunteered at, according to Shafer, included the Baker Youth Club, Kosciusko County Fairgrounds, Miller’s Merry Manor, Warsaw Community Public Library, WCHS, Winona Lake Town Hall, Salvation Army, City-County Athletic Complex, Heartline Pregnancy Center and Madison Elementary School. Students were volunteering from 2 to 4:30 p.m. and got out of seventh period to do the community service. Afterward, the student council provided pizza and refreshments for the students.
“We tried to find places, but it was also hard because it was during the school day,” Shafer said. However, part of the strategic plan stresses “serving the community,” Shafer said, and BLITZ is a good cause.
At the YMCA, guidance counselor Rick Swaim said they were doing some dusting and landscaping work. Landscaping work also was one of the chores students were doing at the Winona Lake Town Hall.
Scott Stanely, Winona Lake park maintenance, said he was going to have the students pull weeds, plant flowers and wash some windows. He said the seasons went from winter to summer so fast, the park department got a little behind so the students volunteering will help get it caught up.
“I think for them, it’s a really good benefit,” Stanley said. “I don’t know how often kids get outside and do work. They may use the parks, but they don’t see all the work that goes into them.”
Winona Lake Clerk-Treasurer Kent Adams said the students’ help will get the town ready for its open house, scheduled for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 8.
Friday was senior Myra Hooks’ third year of participating in BLITZ. This year, she was working at the Winona Lake Town Hall.
“I just think it’s an opportunity the school provides to do some community service,” Hooks said.
“I just heard about it, so I thought I’d get my hands dirty before I graduated,” Conner Williamson, senior, said about why he chose to participate in BLITZ this year. 

Sophomores Cristy Garcia and Kelsey Jones and freshman Kristin Davis, all student council members, were volunteering at the Baker Youth Club.
Garcia said they were playing with the children, offering homework help and working on snacks. She volunteered “to give back,” she said.
Davis said BLITZ helps students “develop certain skills such as leadership roles, responsibilities and respect.”
Jones said, “It makes me feel good to help kids and see them have fun.”
The Transportation Department provided buses for students to get to the volunteer sites. Teachers and staff acted as chaperones and also volunteered.