To the editor:

There’s a lot of scary, troubling news in the world today. It’s easy to get depressed and fearful. But then I think of the words of Fred Rogers, best known for his Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood TV show. “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'”

That’s still true today. All of us at Central School Preservation would like to thank The Messenger for sharing the recent story on Central School in Lake City. We’d also like to thank the nine South Central Calhoun (SCC) High School students and two SCC staff members who came to Central School on Wednesday, April 28, for the Day of Service. SCC encouraged freshmen to seniors to volunteer in communities all over the school district, from Lake City to Lytton to Lohrville.

Many hands make light work. At Central School, these volunteers weeded and mulched the flower garden; repainted the sign marking the spot where a time capsule was buried in 1987; dusted, swept the floors and vacuumed upstairs; painted two exterior doors; organized a large cabinet; and dug dirt and weeds out of the sidewalk north of Central School–all in less than two hours.

We’re grateful SCC teaches students the value of service and encourages them to help improve their communities. In the words of author and psychologist Dr. Robert Holden, “The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see.”

Darcy Maulsby,

Lake City

Central School Preservation board president