Newspaper Page Text
The ADVANCE, December 13, 2023/Page 2A
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INSPIRED BY HER BROTHER - Braylie Davis (left) said that
she was inspired by her brother Kash Waller (right) to use
an event to raise money for those with Special Needs,
FORMER STUDENTS GIVE BACK - Maggie Beach and Matlin Mead both recently spent
time giving back to the Vidalia City School System. Left Photo, L to R: Maggie Beach
and Vidalia High School HOSA Advisor Shellie Cleghorn. Right Photo, L to R: Matlin
Mead and Vidalia High School HOSA Advisor Shellie Cleghorn.
VHS Alum Give Back To Alma Mater
Students
continued from page 1A
competition regarding
events. “What we do is
have an event under certain
guidelines, then we’ll talk
about it — talking about
the results and what could
have gone better and what
went great We’ll compete
that, and if it does well, then
we will go to state and then
possibly nationals,” Davis
explained.
Last year, Davis com
peted with her event “Mu
ral Outside the Lines,” in
which she hosted individu
als with special needs to
help to craft a large mural
like drawing. “I did this last
year with a different friend -
her name is Rebekah Bell -
we did the “Mural Outside
the Lines” and it went great.
I knew that [this year,] I
wanted to do something
with special needs, but Re
bekah wasn’t as interested
in doing a project anymore
because we are busy with
sports and other things.
Therefore, I knew Noah was
in the club and didn’t really
have a group, even though
he really wanted to do an
event,” Davis remarked.
Therefore, the collabo
ration between Davis and
Varn was born, and the pair
brainstormed on how to
host the best possible event.
“I went to him and told
him I had a few ideas with
special needs, so we went
through the options and
decided to do something
near Christmas; we knew
we wanted to do something
different than others had
done. We knew The Pal or
STC (Southeastern Tech
nical College) could be a
great venues to hold our
event, but we ended up go
ing with The Pal because it
is smaller and more con
fined — there’s less places
for kids to wander. Plus, we
had an event there in the
past and knew how to go
about it,” Davis shared.
She added, “We also
knew we wanted some
where for the money to go,
so I began thinking about
some good organizations
around our community. I
thought, ‘Why not the Spe
cial Olympics?’ I know that
they are trying to start up a
cheer team this year, and it
is something that will ben
efit all of the kids from the
surrounding counties be
cause a lot of them go to the
Toombs County Special
Olympics. So, we got that in
place.”
When asked why she
was so passionate about
having the event to benefit
special needs, Davis spoke
of her personal connection
with the cause. “My brother
is severely profound with
special needs. He has a rare
disease called tuberous scle
rosis, so he is about to be 12
years old, but functions on
a 2-year-old level. So, it’s
just really cool to meet and
interact with kids like my
brother, or worse off or bet
ter off than him,” she em
phasized. “It’s really cool to
see how diverse kids can be,
and it’s also something I’m
very passionate about. In
the future, I definitely want
to pursue a career around
that.”
The duo has gained sup
port for the event through
local sponsorships and has
raised almost $700 so far
to donate to the Toombs
County Special Olympics.
“We’re so excited for this
event and are hoping to
raise a lot of money for the
Special Olympics,” Varn
remarked. “It’s going to be
great.”
All members of the
public are welcomed to the
event, which will be held on
Monday, December 18, and
will feature games at 5:30
p.m. before the showing of
the film at 6 p.m. Tickets are
$5 and can be purchased at
the door.
Courtesy of Vidalia City
Schools
Two recent graduates
of Vidalia High School have
returned to Vidalia High
School to give back to their
Alma Mater. Maggie Beach,
a former VHS student and
HOSA officer, recently do
nated blood at the Annual
VHS Sports Booster Blood
Drive. At this blood drive,
McLendon Enterprises
donates $20 to the sports
booster program for every
donor who donates blood.
This is the 5th year
hosting this particular
blood drive," said VHS
Advisor Shellie Cleghorn.
"In addition to this blood
drive, we host three other
blood drives throughout
the school year on the VHS
campus. For each blood
drive we have, HOSA earns
scholarship money for a
graduating senior pursu
ing a degree in the medical
field. Maggie was one of
those students to receive
this scholarship this past
May."
Beach was a HOSA
member for all four years
and a HOSA Officer for 3 of
those four years of her high
school career, and Cleghorn
says that she can remem
ber Beach helping at many
blood drives, even at ayoung
age. "She also couldn't wait
to be old enough to actually
donate blood at our drives,"
said Cleghorn. 'And sure
enough, as soon as she was
old enough to donate, Mag
gie began to do just that. She
was always so involved with
the blood drives, always
willing to help and willing
to donate. It was so refresh
ing to see Maggie return to
continue to give back. It was
one of those "full circle" mo
ments."
Matlin Mead, also a
former VHS student, re
cently became a member
of the CTAE Healthcare
Science Advisory Board.
The primary purpose of this
board is to assist educators
in establishing, operating,
and evaluating the CTAE
program, which serves the
needs of the students, the
community, and the busi
ness/industry partners, and
to provide expertise and in
sight about current/future
industry and technological
changes.
According to Cleg
horn, Mead, who currently
attends Georgia Southern
University and is employed
by Memorial Health Mead
ows Hospital as a phleboto-
mist, has always shown an
interest in the medical field.
"Early on, Matlin demon-
Courtesy of Wreaths Across
America
The courage and sac
rifice of our milita'ry vet
erans should never be for
gotten. You can show them
your appreciation and
gratitude through local in
volvement in the National
Wreaths Across America
Day on Saturday, Decem
ber 16.
On this date, the pub
lic is invited to gather at
Lakeview Memorial Gar
dens, located at 4969 GA-
strated a strong interest in
the medical field," Cleg
horn said. 'As a student,
she always went above and
beyond on assignments
and actively participated in
classroom discussions and
projects. Throughout her
high school career, Matlin
completed all 4 Healthcare
Science classes and was an
active member and officer
for VHS HOSA, taking ev
ery opportunity to attend
HOSA conferences, activi
ties, and community events.
As her former teacher and
HOSA advisor, I am so
proud to have Matlin as a
member of our Advisory
Board as I know she will
contribute greatly. Another
full circle moment!" Cleg
horn added.
According to Cleghorn
both Mead and Beach have
come back to the Health
care Science classroom as
guest speakers this semes
ter.
15 in Vidalia, to come to
gether to remember our
fallen, honor those who
serve, and teach younger
generations the value of
freedom through the lay
ing of wreaths at late mili
tary service members’
headstones. The event will
begin at 12 p.m. with a few
shared words before break
ing into action.
For more information
on this event, contact Ty
Ann Copeland at (912)
314-9942.
SLADOKM. Solution ’ page 744
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Wreaths Across America To
Honor Veterans On Dec. 16
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