As the pressure sets in for upperclassmen to get into their dream schools (or any school at all), junior Marty Parker suddenly realized that Deerfield was desperately in need of another community service club. His new club will be kicking off next week, and Parker claims it will offer students a chance to finally uphold their roles in their beloved community. However, he says he is taking a more unique approach to helping others.
Parker admits that the club still has a couple kinks to work out, but he already has a line-up for their first few charitable acts: next Wednesday, everyone will gather in the cafeteria at the end of D lunch and eat all unbought cookies of the day. Ice cream, cake, and pudding may be involved as well (but only if it’s the new kind with the marshmallows).
Parker is looking forward to the new opportunities that the innovative club is giving him and his fellow students. “We’re working to make DHS a less wasteful environment, and by eating these cookies, DHS will become a greener school. I just want really want to give back, ya know?” said Parker.
The next few weeks will consist of activities such as approving the safety of the high ropes course in the IM gym and fundraising money for weekly shopping sprees in order to improve the overall economy of Deerfield. The club members also hope to do a town-wide cleaning of local fountains using various soaps and detergents. “I’m not sure if that’s how they’re supposed to be cleaned…but it’s definitely the effort that counts,” said Parker.
So far, about 10 people have committed to the club, and many more have shown interest. While many of the students do not have the same selfless qualities as Parker’s generous and hard-working personality, the free t-shirts Parker is giving out seem to be helping his cause. And freshman Nathan Shay says, “I’m only going to the meeting because Marty said there’d be food.”
With an ambitious goal of spearheading a new club at DHS, Flipside reporters asked Parker what inspired him to create this community service club. He said, “It was just something that my heart told me to do. It had nothing to do with the fact that it looks good on college applications. Nothing. At all.”
