Volunteers Beautify Perkerson Elementary and Uplift the Community

By: Alicia Sands Lurry

SONY DSC — The Mission Continues volunteers were hard at work beautifying Perkerson Elementary School.

Students, teachers, staff and parents at Perkerson Elementary School are enjoying a renewed school environment, thanks to the efforts of The Mission Continues, an organization dedicated to helping veterans find purpose through community impact. With their support, the school community now boasts new outdoor benches and picnic tables, as well as chalk boards, reading lofts, a nature trail and school garden.

In addition to over 200 volunteers, dozens of school and community members recently rolled up their sleeves to participate in the “Uplifting Perkerson Alpha Orientation Service Project.” Throughout the daylong event, volunteers built picnic tables and a nature trail, as well as benches for outdoor classroom spaces. Other projects included renewing the school’s garden and playground and creating additional ways for students to grow food for themselves.

“My favorite moment was totally unexpected,” said Jess Peterson, a volunteer with The Mission Continues. “It feels great to have a kid excited to see you, when I really feel like I didn’t do anything to deserve that energy. It tells you the spirit is there and is inherent in the kids. You just have to give them the opportunity to exercise it. Hopefully, this project will inspire kids to help people, and that will be really great.”