J.N. Fries Middle School raises money for CVAN, helps families in need
By Christie Barlow
[email protected]
Every year, J.N. Fries Middle School selects a charitable organization to raise funds for. This year, during the planning stages, it seemed that just about everyone had the same idea — the Cabarrus Victims Assistance Network.
Students and faculty collected more than $1,500 to benefit the organization and celebrated their achievements on Tuesday by presenting CVAN with a check. The band played and the chorus sang as students, faculty and CVAN representatives cheered the school’s efforts.
“I think it showed one of the core values,” said Eric Trail, the assistant principal at J.N. Fries. “They learned that in order to be a successful community, you have to be able to give when people are in need. We have some students who can bring in a large amount of money and some who’ll give up ice cream for a week to donate.”
CVAN could not provide the services it does without fundraisers and donations, said Rebecca Moffett, the assistant director of CVAN. The non profit organization relies on donations to run many of its programs. The money raised will go directly into the CVAN budget, Moffett said.
“We are so thrilled and so thankful they thought of us,” Moffett said. “They really did all the work, we’re just the beneficiaries. It really is schools and church groups and individuals that come together and donate so we can do what we do.”
Funds raised will go towards funding things like their 24-hour hotline and helping with renovations to their shelter. CVAN provides direct service to women and their children who are victims of domestic violence, the promote community awareness and education about domestic violence and they’re advocates for their clients and families. The local appeal of the organization and its presence within J.N. Fries factored into the decision to support CVAN, Trail said.
“We have students who have benefited greatly from CVAN,” Trail said. “It was a constant answer, so, we decided to go with CVAN.“
In addition to raising funds for CVAN, students also collected food and put together complete Thanksgiving meals for 38 families. Meals included the usual canned foods, but also frozen turkeys.
To motivate students, classes have been competing to see who can raise the most money and bring in the most food. The winning class received a party. Abigail South and Franny Tucker, seventh grade students at J.N. Fries, said that even though the party was a good motivator, students were raising money and bringing in food because they want to help others.
Both girls were surprised to find out that there were students within their school that had to use CVAN’s services or would be receiving one of the Thanksgiving dinners the school packaged.
“It’s about knowing on Thanksgiving we’re eating a big meal and knowing they can have something too,” South said. “Otherwise, you’re being thankful for what you have knowing some people don’t have anything.”
• Contact Christie Barlow at [email protected] or 704-789-9140.