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Published Wednesday, October 15, 2008 in Close-Up

Line Creek students fill back packs for One Roof

By Brenda Pedraza-Vidamour

The Newnan Times-Herald

brenda@newnan.com

Students enrolled in Shoal Creek Adventist School's after-school program donated and assembled backpacks for area children who had become homeless in the past few weeks.

Kaarin Salisbury, director of Shoal Creek's program, said the project was part of the program's community service and outreach activities. As part of Shoal Creek's "Teaching, Reaching and Achieving excellence" (TRAX) program, the youngsters are required to perform short and long-term projects.

For the "adopt-a-backpack" project, the students and their families purchased a backpack for either a girl or boy, and filled it with toiletries, school supplies, small toys and personal notes to the child whom some of the students named their "backpack kid."

The students accompanied their parents for the shopping, and enjoyed filling the packs with items such as "snuggle buddies" and books. As part of the project, the children shared stories about how they picked out the items and why they chose certain things.

The backpacks were adopted by the families and their students to answer a call for help from the school's host church, the Peachtree City Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Sharpsburg.

"We bought as many as we could, a total of 18 backpacks," Salisbury said. "One Roof had 12 kids come in needing shelter because their families are homeless. We called Derenda Rowe, executive director of One Roof, and asked about the kids. We were told they range in age from 2 to 16 years and were just placed in the homeless shelter. We met with Derenda and offered to bring 12 backpacks as soon as they were filled. Ms. Rowe called back the next day. They just had six more kids check in at One Roof needing shelter. They needed all 18. We don't believe this is a coincidence. We believe God has given us these 18 backpacks to show God's love to children who need help and peace right now."

The school held a prayer service over the backpacks Friday before they were taken to One Roof last weekend. Rowe said One Roof appreciated the Shoal Creek's donation and the children's efforts. Shoal Creek's backpack buddies at One Roof received them this weekend.

"The backpacks are wonderful. We hope to give them out if not tomorrow afternoon, it'll be Saturday," she said.

Shoal Creek's TRAX program includes gymnastics on Mondays, a Spanish language laboratory on Tuesday, a Fine Art program on Wednesday and martial arts on Thursday.

"But anyone will tell you, Friday is the best day to be there. The kids do community service projects on Fridays. We can't leave the campus so we've had to get creative looking for ways to meet the needs in our community. Last week the kids fed over 100 needy people with to-go meals packed in hand-decorated bags filled with sandwiches, apples and a pair of socks. It was messy, but the kids said 'I really had fun doing this - it was a blast,'" she said.

Upcoming TRAX projects include a "Hands and Feet" drive in which the students plan to collect mittens, gloves, and similar items for Coweta and Fayette families in need.

"We will also create '3B Baskets,' baskets made with a blanket, a bear and a Bible," Salisbury said.

The TRAX program currently has 54 children enrolled representing 37 families from Coweta and Fayette counties, according to Principal Tiffany Swinney.

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