Submitted by Florida Cares
Aucilla Warrior Jake Grant's sixty-three-yard touchdown run on Oct. 1 is an example of the Euphoric, Energetic Excitement (yes, the Triple' E' Extravaganza) that boosted the spirits of the Aucilla Christian Academy (ACA) students Friday night as the ACA Warriors dominated a decisive win (25-6), over the Franklin County Seahawks.
This event, by now, is common knowledge; however, a question remains: "What to do with all that pent-up, delirious and overly rambunctious energy?"
If you are a student of ACA's Beta Club, you take the long drive home, get in bed way after midnight, grab a few hours sleep and then report to a FL Cares (FLC) job site at 8 a.m. to build a city resident better accessibility to their home. Aww, to be a high school student, where energy is boundless, and all your friends support each other and believe they are the Immortal Generation!
On Saturday, Oct. 2, six Beta Club members (mostly juniors) followed the mostly senior class FLC project completed last Saturday, Sept. 25, and built a new set of half-steps and repaired an old porch for Monticello resident Rebecca Cuyler. Kudos to Caroline Taylor, Haylie McLeod, Sydney Walker, Lena Kimmell, RJ Hightower, and organizer Isabella Gray, Aucilla Student Body President and reigning Watermelon Queen. Also, a huge "Thank You" on both projects to mentors Michael Blodgett, Geoffrey Christian and Angela Gray.
"It's so beautiful, and they did it so fast!" Cuyler expressed behind a big smile of true happiness.
The senior project was led by Gray, who organized eight of her classmates in building a new landing and set of half-steps (having a riser height of 4-5 inches) for resident Erma Morris and family in eastern Jefferson County. Accolades to Caroline Taylor, Grace Conrad, Eli Conrad, Jenna Lindsey, Trip Joyner, Riley Smith, Logan Lamb and Fletcher Schwab.
"Oh my goodness! It's so wonderful!" exclaimed Morris as she took her first steps down the easier half-steps on Sept. 25.
The Oct. 2 project is the 101st "access build" for the FLC calendar year. Both projects were supported by the generosity of the Monticello Kiwanis Club and donations made by students and families from Aucilla Christian Academy. Each matches the other at $500 apiece for a total of $1,000 for both projects.
The FLC accessibility designs are built with emphasis on increased strength, durability, safety and function. FLC projects make home accessibility easier and safer, thus letting the user/homeowner have more confidence, be more productive and hopefully stay more engaged within the community. Whether it be attending more family events, becoming more socially active in the neighborhood, or just the ability to live independently within the community as a whole, FLC accessibility projects are built to last and provide the users with the potential for easier mobility.
ACA Junior, Caroline Taylor, who participated in both events, stated, "Giving back to the community makes me feel good!"
The student volunteers were taught the proper techniques of using power tools for the ease and efficiency of cutting and building. No one seemed to be off their game, either from the night's activities or lack of sleep. The students rallied to the need and rose to the challenge of providing the sweat equity for the laborious tasks of ripping off deck boards, rebuilding a weakened deck and then building a set of more accessible and user-friendly half-steps that simplify the arduous task of climbing.
"Most clients state that the FL Cares half-step projects make climbing steps feel like walking across a level floor. It's that easy!" said Eric Evans, FLC Project Leader.
"The power tools seemed a little intimidating at first, but after the safety brief and then using them [in real hands-on applications], it's exhilarating and invigorates a sense of confidence that you can accomplish anything," Gray proclaimed.
During the build on Sept. 25, Smith was first to use the air-powered nail gun. Though her eyes widened in a bit of terrorizing excitement, her classmates' encouragement rallied her to the challenge.
After the first shot assembling a landing connection joint, Smith elated, "This is FUN!" as she became the pistol-wielding gunner with the "Thor" sized nail gun.
Another project participant, Hightower, changed his day's work schedule so he could attend.
"This was where I needed to be, [giving back] this is the priority," Hightower stated.
The FLC projects helped the students meet their required ten community service hours per semester.
FL Cares, a 501(c)3 charitable non-profit organization, seeks individuals, civic groups, churches or businesses to help FLC build better, safer, stronger, and more functional home accessibility. For more information and to start the process, contact FL Cares at (850) 347-1445 or FL.Cares.Info@gmail.com.
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