Volunteer Extravaganza

High School Students from Shawnee Mission North High School

In Greensburg we continue to be awed and gratified by the groups of folks who come to town to help. Here we are, over two-and-a-half years post-tornado, and we still regularly get inquiries from people all over the country who are eager to spend a weekend (or even a week) in our community doing whatever needs to be done. Anyone who has lived through a disaster or has visited a devastated area knows that it takes many years to rebuild, and we are fortunate to have so many people who recognize that we still can use the help! Greensburg's identity as a model green community interests people from all over the globe, and we enjoy sharing information about our plethora of sustainable projects with volunteers and tourists alike. When volunteer groups come to town, GreenTown staff members make it a point to share information about the Green Initiative and our progress in realizing our vision.

Earlier this month, eighteen students from Shawnee Mission North High School (Overland Park, Kansas) made the five-hour trip with their chaperones to help out for four days in Greensburg. The group, which goes by the name of SM North Coalition, came to town to work on a variety of tasks, large and small. Coalition President Emily Carter said, “We had done fundraisers to help with the financial needs of many causes, which is good, but we wanted to get our hands dirty and use our actions for a cause, as well." And get their hands dirty, they did. The group helped GreenTown move from our old office space into our new digs at the Silo Eco-Home, where they also painted and sanded. They hung drywall at the Youth for Christ Teen Center, washed the windows of Main Street businesses, helped moved furniture into the new shop for Starla's Stitch 'N Frame, visited elderly residents about their lives and tornado experiences, helped clean up after the St. Joseph church Mexican dinner, and participated in community events. It was a very full four days. GreenTown staff Ruth Ann Wedel organized their volunteer activities, and Joah Bussert and Andrew Ryan supervised and worked alongside them on our move into the Silo Home.

Coalition Sponsor Bradley Rose reports that the students enjoyed Greensburg's small-town hospitality and look forward to keeping track of our continued growth. The trip was made possible by funding from Deffenbaugh Industries, a Kansas City-based waste disposal and recycling business. We thank them for enabling the students to make the trip to southwestern Kansas to volunteer.

About the Coalition: The SM North Coalition is a group of students that is dedicated to improving the world wherever they can.  This includes local, national, and international causes. The group is called “The Coalition” because every Shawnee Mission High School has a group formed on the same principles.

The students who helped out in Greensburg are identified by grade and are, from left to right in the above photo: Bottom Row – Randa Bernal (10), Jordan Johnson (9), Marissa O’Dell (9), Julia Jacobs (11), Jeremy Muller (10); Middle Row – Mary Rodabaugh (10), Emily Wann (9), Max Woodring (10), Krista King (10), Emily Carter (12), Sydney Studer (10), Derrick Yoch (9); Back Row – Angela Livingston (10), Nathan Heim (12), Mike Jones (10), Michael Mahr (10), Sean Childs (12), Will Carter (9)