To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day, students and other members of the NAHS community came together to volunteer their time for the greater good of the Norristown area in the high school cafeteria.

The volunteers made hygiene kits, prepped plastic bag mats, and composed thank you letters to veterans. The hygiene kits had basic hygiene necessities like mouthwash, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, and other items, which will be donated to Norristown’s homeless population via the Salvation Army. 

Candy Johnson, Loretta Scott, Cora Cartagno, and English teacher Jill Meyers set up the volunteering event on Martin Luther King Jr Day. 

To begin making a hygiene kit you start at a table, which has all of the supplies needed for the kit. Then you will just go down the line filling the bags with at least one of each thing.

There were ten tables, five tables for hygiene kits, and five tables for cutting, and looming trash bags.The trash bags were being cut and tied together so they can be put on a loom. Eventually, the cut and tied bags will be turned into a mat for people to put between themselves, and the cold ground.It takes about twelve hours to make one mat, we are able to get two mats started. When all of the hygiene kits were made, some went to cut the bags, others went to make letters to war veterans. 

I was also given the pleasure to speak to a Domestic Relations worker. “ It’s amazing that this school is doing something for the greater good of the overall community,” she said.  “It’s good to see people helping people.”  She,  along with the other volunteers, was very diligent in her work on this day.

“ I am happy the school did this, and it was ‘very’ organized,” said sophomore Kaylee Dell, who spent her day volunteering for the event. “I am happy to be able to help people who are less fortunate. Even if it’s small, every little bit counts.”

Scott, one of the organizers, was proud of what she and her fellow organizers were able to accomplish. She said that the number of people that came was “ Shocking, but amazing,” and  if she would have known so many people were coming she would have “brought another loom for the plastic mats.”

There were also plenty of children doing service, either they were making Veteran “Thank-You” letters, or they were helping at the hygiene kit station, or cutting and tying trash bags. 

The overall experience of the even was very joyous, and productive. While there were more people in attendance than expected, there was still plenty of work to do for everyone.