SADD spreads holiday cheer

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There was a special sense of accomplishment written all over Fallon Davis’s face.

The same held true for teenagers like Taylor Medeiros and Alyssa Johnson and even faculty members and staffers who passed by the mountain of canned goods that was on display inside Johnston High School’s main lobby last Friday morning.

Even Jeff Cicchitelli, the Johnston Police Department’s in-school resource officer, couldn’t believe his eyes as members of the Davis-led JHS SADD (Student Against Dangerous Decision) unloaded bags and boxes filled with canned goods and non-perishable items they collected during the group’s annual Food Drive.

“Now that’s an impressive collection of foods,” said Cicchitelli while offering his congratulations to the SADD students and Greg Russo, the JHS faculty member who coordinates the group as well as the Student Council. “That would help fill some needs.”

Davis, who is a member of the Sue Parillo coached JHS champion cheerleading corps, is the SADD president while Medeiros and Johnson serve as vice president and secretary respectively.

Collectively, they organized the annual Food Drive, which is an annual affair prior to Thanksgiving, and each member of SADD was assigned a homeroom to collect items over a one-week time period.

“As an added incentive,” Russo said, “a competition was held among the classes as well as the homerooms and the room that brought in the most canned goods and non-perishable food items would in a pizza party. In the end, Room 210 had the most items and won the contest.”

But the extraordinary collection of canned goods and non-perishable food items didn’t stay in the school’s lobby long. Almost as soon as all the items were nearly packed into boxes, SADD members located them into vehicles and delivered their huge haul to Our Lady of Grace Church where they’ll be included in Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for needy families.

In addition, gift certificates for turkeys were supplied by collections coordinated by the JHS Chapter of the National Honor Society.

“This was a super and special success by all our great students,” Russo said. “It’s a great act of giving to those people who are less fortunate and otherwise might not have a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.”

As yet another example of giving, Russo announced that some of the food collection will be used to develop a food closest for students and their families at Johnston High School.

“I personally want to thank all the students and members of the JHS community for their generosity and wonderful work on this project,” said Russo. “It’s yet another example of how our students are always willing to make a different in the lives of others.”

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