Ashley Hunter
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Last year in November, the S.O.A.R Club at Jefferson Somerset raised $300 in order to purchase a bulletproof vest for one of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office's (JCSO) four-legged deputies.
The S.O.A.R Club, which is led by ESE (Exceptional Student Education) teacher Katrina Snider, chose to undertake the project after learning that the two K9s at the JCSO did not have protective vests that kept them safe from potentially harmful suspects.
The students chose to undertake the task of funding the purchase of the vests and presented Sheriff Mac McNeill, K9 Magnum and K9 Handler Deputy McCoy with the $300 check.
After their first funding project was complete, the S.O.A.R students barely took a moment to rest before returning to their fundraising in order to purchase another vest for the JCSO's second K9 Deputy Otis.
After several months of hard work, the students had raised a total of $400, and on Friday, March 6, the S.O.A.R Club met again with Sheriff McNeill so that they might hand over the check to the sheriff as well as to K9 Otis and K9 Handler Deputy Dan Williams.
The club and law enforcement officers met in the lobby while accompanied by school staff, and S.O.A.R student Starrlynn Gamble stepped forward to read the proclamation that her club had prepared.
“With hard work, we raised this money so that Officer Otis would be protected as he serves his community and the members here in Jefferson County,” read Gamble. “We are so ever grateful for your service and protection. It is our honor as the S.O.A.R Club of Jefferson Somerset to present you this check for K9 Officer Otis.”
According to Gamble, she and her fellow students had raised the money through the sale of customized buttons and pins, as well as holiday grams for Valentine's Day and Halloween.
The good deed, while significant for the JCSO's K9s, has also taught the young entrepreneurs the art of perfecting their sales pitch, creating a marketable product and pursuing customers – all skills worth having in the modern workplace.
Button by button, the S.O.A.R. Club slowly made their way to their mark.
A quality K9 vest is priced at a little over $200 each, so the S.O.A.R students raised enough to allow the JCSO to shop around for the best vest for K9 Otis, as well as to possibly have a little left over to fund other K9-required items.
S.O.A.R stands for “Successful Occupations Are Reachable” and is one of the clubs at Jefferson Somerset that are aimed to further student success after graduation.
“We would like to thank the students of the Jefferson Somerset S.O.A.R program for their generous donation to help protect and support our K9 units,” says Sheriff McNeill. “Their kindness and dedication is greatly appreciated.”