Local youths give back to community

By Staff
Melissa Cason
Franklin County Times
RED BAY – The Franklin County Junior Leadership students spent their Thursday afternoon helping the Red Bay Lions Club bag food for families in need.
Junior Leadership Director, and Executive Director for the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Lisa Stockton said the group has been assisting the Lion's Club with their project since the leadership organization was founded.
Lion's Club member Johnnie Weatherford said the food and clothing drive has been an annual project for their club for at least 20 years.
"This year we provided clothing for 206 children and we were able to feed 164 families in our community," Weatherford said.
Local businesses and community members donated the food. The clothing is purchased with donations from businesses and individuals.
"The participation for the project is steady every year," Weatherford added noting the leadership students are providing a service for the community because bagging the groceries has become difficult for many of the club's members.
"We have a lot of older members so it's hard for them to do this part of the project," Weatherford said.
Stockton said helping with this project gives her students an opportunity to help the community while earning community service hours required for the class.
"We have a good group of students this year, and we are very proud of them," Stockton said.
The bags of groceries were given out Friday to families who signed up for the assistance.