Students, staff are ready to give back

With winter looming, homeowners are scurrying to get things in order before the cold weather hits. And the Minneota High School students, faculty and administrators are offering to assist these homeowners with "Giving Back Day" on Oct. 25 through its Home Team Program.

The students will be assisting those in need of help from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. "I’m expecting things like raking and cleaning out gardens," said Ruth Bot, a longtime teacher and one of the organizers of the event.

"We would love to put up Christmas lights, clean windows or sweep out a garage. This is 100 percent free; a community service project with the intent of making all parties feel better."

Interested homeowners can call the school (872-6175 or 872-6122) and ask for Sharon, who will take the message and send a crew to the address given. Homeowners will need to provide lawn/garbage bags and some tools, but the students will provide the rakes. "I really want to see this work," said Bot.

"If I lived in town, I would most definitely take advantage of this.”

"Mr. (Jeremy) Frie, Al Panka and myself were meeting to get the Home Team program going for this fall. As we were talking we felt it was important to add a community service part to the Home Teams. We thought this would work well; to give back to our community which so staunchly supports the school."

And there will be seven teams going out and helping homeowners with various yardwork.

“We had hoped to incorporate the elementary students, but the plan is to try it and expand to a spring cleanup next May,” said Bot. The teams were chosen last spring via a random selection process with an attempt made to try and get as close to a 50-50 mix of boys and girls as possible.

Each team includes a teacher or administrator chaperone.

"I have to say this has always been a dream of mine," said Bot.

"When I was a kid, we did something like this through our church and it has always stuck with me. I think it's essential that everyone learns to give back."