Programs find spirit to give

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Ryne Edmondson

Bruce Cooper of Channel 12 News, broadcasts PHS football players handing out turkeys at Basha’s Supermarket. The team partnered with the pom and cheer program to raise money to buy families Thanksgiving turkeys.

In the service of giving, Perry clubs across campus are sacrificing time, money, and energy to help others during the holiday season.

Specific to the sports department, the varsity football team is partnering with the pom and cheer squads to hand out turkeys to less fortunate families at Thanksgiving time.

“Football basically handed [the turkeys] out and we [pom and cheer] got to be there and be spreading our Christmas cheer,” describes pom member Neylan Gonzales. The event took place on Nov. 26 at Basha’s Supermarket.

This has been a tradition since the school opened, seven years ago.

“I hope it will continue,” Coach Jones states.  “It helps remind our kids how fortunate and how lucky they are.”

“It was really cool to see how much we can give back,” Gonzales agrees. She continues, “We’re always spreading school spirit… it’s kind of cool to [effect] the whole community at the same time.”

Jones hopes the projects benefit students and the community equally, stating “That’s why we’re doing it,” in efforts to help others.

The PHS golf team is also participating in drives this holiday season.

During the first week of December, the golf team and Key Club came together along with Central Christian Church and the State of Arizona, in a project called “Walk in their Shoes”. Together they are trying to raise money to buy every foster child in Arizona a pair of shoes.

“It was easy for us to partner,” head golf coach John Lowery said. “I just got the vision that

said, ‘Wow. We can make a difference at this.’”

The two clubs only raised money to buy the shoes. The money will be given to The State of Arizona so they can buy the correct sizes and take care of delivering the shoes to each foster child.

Their goal was to raise enough money to buy 1,440 pairs of shoes on campus alone. After their week of collecting, the two clubs raised about 300 dollars, buying 20**** pairs of shoes.

“I think it is always good for kids to realize their surrounding” Lowery said, “outside of just their family.”

With many clubs and teams helping the community this season, principal Dan Serrano recognizes holiday service projects as an opportunity for students to find gratitude, saying, “It makes kids see that… maybe their lives aren’t so bad.”

Other campus-wide clubs participating in holiday service projects include National Honors Society, the arts department, FACES, StuGo, and freshman Emery Miller with his Teddy Bear Drive.

****Rough estimate from Lowrey. Not all of the money has been turned in****