In a joint community service project, the Christiansburg Lowe’s Heroes Program and the Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg revitalized the Christiansburg Head Start preschool site.
During the first two weeks of July, an estimated 366 volunteer hours were contributed, with project leadership under the Christiansburg Lowe’s Store Manager, Joe Sirico.
Approximately 14 Lowe’s Heroes and 10 members of the Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg shared their efforts, some having started as early as 4:30 a.m. and having finished late into the evenings.
The project leader, Joe Sirico, volunteered an estimated 70 hours to the success of the Head Start revitalization, and his planning and leadership were integral to the success of the project.
Some of the improvements to the interior included all new lighting and ceiling fans throughout the facility, new cabinetry enclosing a counseling area for our local Head Start youth, and new sinks in the restrooms.
Exterior improvements included a beautiful new bench that now surrounds the base of a tree on the playground, and which was made by Eddie Lane, Brian Smith, and Mike Martin, with the Christiansburg Lowe’s Heroes team.
Additional improvements to the exterior included the removal of a dead tree and the conversion of the courtyard into an outdoor classroom area.
The majority of the work to clear the courtyard was completed by Christiansburg Kiwanians Bruce Board and Mark Cox. Volunteer Samuel Phillips also installed new drainage plumbing, where flooding had previously been problematic.
Donations were jointly made by both the Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg, in the loving memory of Pamela Hooker Wade, and by the Christiansburg Lowe’s through the Lowe’s Heroes Program.
Notable contributions also include both the work and materials contributed by John Elmore, owner of Elmore and Sons Top Soil and Landscaping.
Montgomery County Head Start Site Administrator, Leah M. Hill, said of the improvements: “I was overjoyed when I was contacted regarding completing a project at the Christiansburg Head Start site. I was honored that our program was chosen to receive this benefit. Each year, Head Start requires community support in order to continue to receive Federal funding. Working with Lowe’s and Kiwanis has been such a blessing and our program has benefited greatly. The children of the Christiansburg community will have an updated, clean, beautiful, and safe place to start preschool.”
According to the New River Community Action website, www.newrivercommunityaction.org/head-start-2, the Montgomery County Head Start serves more than 300 children in the NRV.
The Office of Head Start at the Office of the Administration for Children and Families writes of Head Start, “Over fifty years ago Head Start began as a program for preschoolers. Today 3- and 4-year-olds make up over 80 percent of the children served by Head Start programs each year.” Head Start programs support early childhood development for underprivileged children, through early learning as well as through connecting families to support services within their communities.
In addition to the meals and health screenings provided to children through Head Start, the Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg packs backpacks with food weekly during the school year, a service that began in 2008.
The Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg plans to continue to send food home with the children, for them to eat over the weekends when meals at Head Start are unavailable to them, for as long as volunteers participate.
Between 50 and 75 families in our community are served annually through this program, with efforts resuming at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year.
To make donations or learn more about how you can volunteer through the Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg, contact Secretary Teddy A. McCracken at mccrata@aol.com or visit www.christiansburgkiwanis.com.
Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg meetings are usually held weekly on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., at the Holiday Inn located at 99 Bradley Drive NW, in Christiansburg. Visitors are welcome.
If possible, nonmembers interested in attending should email Teddy McCracken.
