Printer Friendly Version - Warriors Give a Day of Service

This group of Valley Regional Warriors gave the fire engines at the Essex Fire Department a thorough cleaning during the school’s annual Warriors in the Community Day on May 18. Photo courtesy of Virginia Mislick

On May 18, you may have spotted Valley Regional High School students in conspicuous T-shirts throughout Chester, Deep River, and Essex. Those were the Valley Regional Warriors who were participating in the sixth annual Warriors in the Community Day.

Each year approximately 600 Valley students, accompanied by their CORE teachers and other staff members, go to local sites in the Tri-Town and give back to their community. The school consists of 47 CORE groups filling 15 buses on this day of outreach projects, which usually lasts around three hours.

The work ranged from washing town vehicles to cleaning up town properties. Organizers hope the outreach is rewarding enough to establish a habit of service.

“The goal of this day is to encourage all students to continue to give back to their community, even after graduation,” said Ginny Mislick, a physical education teacher a Valley.

Valley Senior Michael Berardis designed this year’s Community Day T-shirts, which, with their prominent red V, were handed out as the students headed out to their group’s destination.

Before the students went out for the day, they attended a kick off assembly that included a video collage of the past outings over three years and some advice from senior leaders. Then it was off to one of dozens of sites to make a mark on the community.

Some students interacted with the residents at Aaron Manor, Chesterfields Nursing Home, Essex Court, Kirtland Commons, and Riverview Lodge while others helped spruce up the facilities’ exteriors.

Others set out to wash emergency vehicles at the Deep River Fire Department and Essex Fire Engine Co. or help maintain cemeteries at Cedar Lake, Fountain Hill, Laurel Hill, and in Winthrop.

General maintenance was undertaken at Bushy Hill, Camp Hazen, Canfield Woods, Chester Fairgrounds, Chester Meeting House, Cedar Lake, Connecticut River Museum, Deep River and Essex land trusts, Deep River Food Pantry, Tri-Town Youth Services, Plattwood Park, Deep River Town Landing, Keyboard Park and the Deep River Town Green, Devitt Field, Deep River Historical Society/Stone House, Essex Historical Society, Essex Library, Essex Park and Recreation, Essex Steam Train, and the Fife and Drum Museum.

Some students were dispatched to work on the region’s elementary schools, the CDE Pre-School, and Church Street Child Care, while others stayed at home base, conducting organizational and deep cleaning work at Valley Regional High School as well as preparing for the post-service BBQ lunch.

“We were so glad the weather held out and we were able to have a great and productive day out in the community,” Mislick said.