By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
During the weekend of March 10-11, 400 National Honor Society students and administrators from Fort Kent to Wells, attended the annual state convention held at the University of Maine at Orono, 38 of these students were from Caribou High School. The Caribou NHS group were accompanied by CHS French teacher Madam Wanda Theriault and Kenneth Atcheson, NSH adviser.
During the convention, students vied for a number of state NHS positions, shared success stories regarding different fund-raising projects featuring a focus on the state service organization project titled, “Project Linus.”
“Project Linus is a non-profit organization that collects homemade blankets that are given to severely ill children from infancy to 18 years of age,” stated Ezra Duplissie-Cyr, Caribou NHS member/ northern regional representative of the executive board. As the northern regional rep. Duplissie-Cyr volunteered to contact members of the organization’s Maine chapter, who supplied information as to how to create the blankets. “The style of blanket we decided to make was a single-ply with a two-sided strip and pulled edges,” said Duplissie-Cyr.
In order to purchase the material to make the blankets, the Caribou NHS chapter raised $445 under the fund-raising guidance of Caleb Chapman. The funds raised allowed the Caribou chapter to purchase 183 yards of fleece fabric, scissors and seam rippers from the Presque Isle Walmart, a major sponsor of Project Linus, which offers a 20 percent discount to all participants in the program toward the purchase of fabric.
As a result of their efforts the Caribou NHS students made a total of 210 blankets, the most from any state chapter. In their donation of the blankets to the Project Linus program, the group also donated funds from a quilt made by NHS member Hannah Saucier and her mother. The quilt was raffled off during the convention.
Aroostook Republican photo/Barb Scott
Members of the Caribou NHS received a recognition award of excellence for their outstanding efforts in creating more than 200 blankets for the NHS state-wide community service program, “Project Linus.”
In front are Hannah Saucier, Kyle McEwen, Christian Sleeper, and Nicole Madore. In back are: Kenneth Atcheson, NHS adviser; Madison Outing, Joshua Kovach, Jacob Michaud, Duncan Flynn and Ezra Duplessie-Cyr. The group received the award at the State NHS Convention held in March at the University of Maine at Orono campus.
Caribou NHS members were recognized at the convention for their work with Project Linus, by Annette Wilson, state project coordinator.
In a letter to Atcheson and the Caribou NHS members, Wilson stated, “The hundreds of blankets that made their way into the back of my van, and the huge amount of materials to make blankets, will provide warmth and comfort to many, many children in western Maine and beyond. I am a new coordinator to Project Linus, and your generous donation of the proceeds of your quilt raffle have been the starting point of my chapter’s fundraising, it will go a long way toward furthering the work of Project Linus in our area. ”
“As you saw when your peers who have received Project Linus blankets stood to be recognized, your hard work and generosity will make a difference that can impact a lifetime for a young person, perhaps right next door. As each of you moves forward in your lives and careers, I hope that you will continue the amazing generosity of spirit and service that marked this past year in the National Honor Society. Your enthusiasm and selflessness convince me that our future is in very good hands.”
During the state convention Caribou NHS member Joshua Kovach was elected to serve as the northern representative to the state executive board for 2011-12 school year.
