Baskets will be in local businesses

RUMFORD — The morning announcements at Mountain Valley High School asked for volunteers to help with an annual community event: “Looking for a group of young adults to give back to the community after all their years of egg hunting in the River Valley. We need volunteers to help make and distribute donation buckets for the annual River Valley Egg Hunt.”

The River Valley Chamber of Commerce contacted math teacher Lisa Russell and asked for help organizing a group of students to work on this community service project.

Sophomores Joshua Maillet and Sydney Petrie, juniors Caleb Gauvin, Brandon Gill and Jacob Simard, and seniors Elizabeth Adley, Lance Richard, Kaitlyn Virgin and Brittany Wakefield answered the call. With the help of Russell and science teacher Ken Baker, they decorated small buckets with an Easter theme.

Gauvin said, “The buckets are going to local businesses for donations for the annual Easter egg hunt throughout the area.”

Russell drafted him for help in completing the last few buckets and Gauvin takes pleasure in volunteering.

He said, “I got involved because I think giving back to the community is a big thing and I enjoy volunteer work. It creates a good environment everywhere and to help for this cause is even better.”

The students urge community members to be generous when they see the buckets at local businesses. The money collected helps pay for the cost of the prize baskets as well as the cost of the radio air time that delivers the clues during the egg hunt.