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BARNESVILLE -- Dozens of Barnesville students made their way throughout the community Monday to lend a helping hand to businesses in the village.
Superintendent Angela Hannahs said students in the elementary, middle and high schools all participated in the school district's community cleanup, traveling to around 20 businesses and locations in the village to assist with yard work, picking up trash, cleaning and other tasks needed. The effort was held to show the schools' appreciation for the businesses that have supported the district over the years.
"We have wonderful weather and we're just happy to be out here giving back to the community that always helps us out, so we're really enjoying this. It gives the kids an idea of what service learning is all about," she said while helping out at the American Legion Post 168, where the schools' administration focused their efforts to help clean and organize.
Students, along with teachers, were broken up into groups that were stationed all over the village, helping out with whatever the business needed assistance.
A few high school students helped reorganize and unload boxes at Cheffy Drugs.
Aydn King, 15, said they volunteered for the cleanup to give back to the community that always supports and donates to their school sports teams.
Beth Jeffries, a pharmacist at the drugstore, said they are in the process of remodeling the shop and needed help with boxes of old files, which they are planning to recycle.
She said they were "greatly appreciative" of the students and of Hannahs, who spearheaded the event. She said they helped out "immensely."
"We cannot thank them enough. They are really helping us to finalize and get this all cleaned up," she said.
More than a dozen seventh-graders were washing all four police cruisers at the Barnesville Police Department. Gabe Taylor, 13, said all the students had a different task, his being to handwash the hood and sides of the vehicle.
"The chief of police (Rocky Sirianni) is my cousin, so I'm really happy to be helping them out," he said.
Officer Megan Phillips said it was "great" that the kids came out to help them.
"We are thankful that they support us and want to help us out and help the community look better. It takes all of us," she said.
At the Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum, seventh-graders were outside doing yard work. Eddy Wade, 13, said it felt good to help the community.
Wayne Schuerle, trustee of the grounds at the museum, said the students were "very helpful." His grandson, 13-year-old Antoni Schuerle, was one of the volunteers helping with the yardwork.
"We're very thankful that the school has donated people and time to help us out. I applaud the school district," he said.
At Joe's Tires, students helped to seal the asphalt in the customer parking lot. Ryan Eicher, manager of the shop, said they really appreciated the students' hard work. He said they did an excellent job.
While some students were at specific locations, others were walking around collecting and cleaning up litter from along the sidewalks.
After helping perform some yard work at the WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital, freshman Lexie Grear, 15, and Payton Dedzik, 14, were walking around with garbage bags picking up trash and leaves outside of businesses. The girls said they volunteered along with other members of the Key Club.
The school district has been planning to hold the cleanup since 2020; however, it was postponed until now because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hannahs said they are hoping to make it an annual occurrence.