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PAGE 4A l - FORSYTH county NEWS - Wednesday, December 17,2003 Students work to give back to community for holidays By Nicole Green Staff Writer Starting each November, a spirit of altruism mingles with the holiday merriment and inspires people to help needy members of the community. The youngest in Forsyth County, those who may seem to have the least to give and the most to receive during the holidays, gave a lot back this year. Through the classroom, Forsyth County students gave everything from bicycles to goats to needy families across the world. North Forsyth High School kicked off the season of giving on Nov. 10 with a canned food drive organized by the Future Business Leaders of America. The group stockpiled 1,678 cans of food in one week, well past their goal of 1,000 cans, for The Place's annual holiday food distribution to residents of Forsyth County, FBLA teacher sponsor Shannon Anderson-Rush said. While high school students filled empty stomachs, Mashburn Elementary stu dents filled empty stockings. For the first two weeks in December, Mashburn student council members in the third, fourth and fifth grades collect ed new, unwrapped toys as stocking stuffers. "We were trying to collect toys for kids who are poor,” said Cullen Allen. 8, who is a third-grader at Mashburn. "So they don't have to suf fer and so they have some thing to put in their stocking," student council president D.J. Armstrong, 10, added. First-grade teacher Kinla Nelson, who helped coordi nate the project, explained that the student council wanted to do something to fill children's stockings because most chart- Survey finds college-age adults increased card debt by 42 percent According to the annual Credit Card Survey by Myvesta.org, a nonprofit con sumer education organization, college-age adults have increased their amount of credit card debt by 42 percent over the past year. Those aged 18-24 are now carrying an average balance of $1,208 on their credit cards, up from $849 in 2002. These results come as Americans on the whole are reducing debt car ried on their cards. According to the Myvesta.org survey, the average American now has $2,294 in credit card debt, down from $3,250 in 2002. “I see a large gap between college-age adults and older Americans when it comes to money,” said Steve Rhode, president and co-founder of Myvesta.org. “Many younger Americans have not gone through any significant period of economic hardship. They are used to having what they want, when they want it. Since college students usually don’t have a large cash flow, they Loves Wrinkle Cream Hates Puffy Eyes, Age Spots DEAR PATTY: I love you!... Remember when I wrote and told you that I was a baby boomer who hated my facial wrinkles...and you told me about that discovery, EBS Facial Cream. Well, I bought a jar at JCPenney and it is wonderful...l wish you could see how much younger I look. I love it and recommend it to all my friends. But say, how about helping me with my other problems...my puffy eyes and the age spots on my hands and face. - Tell Me More, Madison, W1 DEAR TELL ME MORE: 1 knew you would like EBS Facial Cream. It actually works like five creams in one jar...it is a Wrinkle Cream... Throat Cream ...Firming Cream...24-hour Moisturizer...and Make-up Base...all in one! Now, regarding your questions ties deliver toys to go under the Christmas tree. Wearing red Santa hats and jingle bells, student council members took turns soliciting donations in the halls of Mashburn. "The hats and jingle bells felt weird," fifth-grader Eric Johnson, 10, said. "They were really itchy," said fourth-grader Hunter Brown, who is "almost 10" years old, about the Santa hats. The furry hats "feel like my grandpa's cat," one little girl in Nelson's first-grade class said. With guidance from teach ers Traci Wallace and Karen Heard, the Mashburn student council collected three large boxes of small toys like Hot Wheels cars and decorative glitter that Hands Across Forsyth will deliver to needy children in the community. Another class at Mashburn broadened their world view by helping people who live in poor countries. Allison Lundgren's fourth graders raised SIOO by doing chores at home and bought two goats for families in Latin America or Africa through Samaritan's Purse, an interna tional faith-based charity. "They don't have stores and money like we do," Naomi Ergun, 9, said about the families who will benefit from their donations. The children brain stormed several uses for the goats, such as drinking the milk, sell ing the offspring, using the goat as a "lawn mower" and weaving a blanket out of its fur. On Thursday, Dec. 11, Pinecrest Academy students used their gifts of creativity to bless others. Fifth- through ninth-grade girls at Pinecrest donated their lunch time and free time to crochet scarves are viewing credit cards as a way to charge what they want today, without having to worry about paying for it until tomorrow.” While various consumer groups and legislators have pushed to ban credit card mar keting on college campuses, Rhode argues that on-campus marketing has little to do with higher college debt loans. “Banning credit cards mar keting on college campuses because some students have gotten into debt would be like banning pizza places on cam pus because some of the stu dents have gained weight,” Rhode said. “It all comes down to personal responsibili ty when you choose to eat too much or spend outside of your means. “Credit cards are a neces sary part of life and are a use ful tool to use when making purchases. Instead of trying to keep cards out of the hands of students, let’s concentrate on teaching them how to use credit the right way.” 4b A3X PATH about puffy eyes and age spots, this same pharmacist, Robert Heldfond, has discoveries for both. His EBS Eye Gel Formula amazingly helps appearance of dark circles, puffiness around the eyes. Another is his EBS Age Spot Formula which works wonderfully for unsightly pigment and dark discolorations on the hands and face. You’ll love them, and they’re completely guaranteed! NOTE: All EBS formulas are available at JCPenney. To learn more about these and other EBS discoveries, phone toll free: 1-800-929-8325 or visit online at www.ebs.com. EDUCATION for men at the Trinity Men's Shelter in the Atlanta area. They joined the efforts of a Norcross-based club called "Crocheting for Charity" that committed to making 400 scarves for the men this win ter. Santa loaned a few elves to the Forsyth County Schools Warehouse and Purchasing Department to fix used bicy cles for local children. Staff, students and parents in the school system donated used or new bicycles and submitted the names of children who need a special surprise this Christmas. The five employ ees at the Warehouse Department stayed after hours to repair the bicycles. "We get them in presenta ble shape to give to kids who wouldn’t get a bike," purchas ing coordinator Bob Branch said. As of Friday, the depart ment had 15 bicycles in mint condition, ready for pickup on Dec. 17. Branch said they have plenty of bicycles remaining for the 26 needy families Daves Creek Elementary School "adopted" this season. Branch started this project five years ago. When Branch's father was young, his mother repaired an old, used bicycle for his Christmas present because She could not afford a new one. Raised in a poor sharecrop ping family, Branch's father cherished that bicycle and still that Christmas stands out in his mind, Branch said. Touched by the effect an old bike could have on a child who sorely needs it, Branch decided to do the same for Forsyth County children. As of this year, 125 bicy cles have been donated through the program. Branch said he hopes the large package on Christmas morning will let underprivi leged children know that they are as special as children who receive many presents. "No matter what the condi tion, all kids are special," Branch said. BATHTUBS H CERAMIC TILE Repair ~ Remodel ~ Reglaze With the nation's oldest and largest reglazing company you can f be assured of the highest quality workmanship and materials. Hfft VISIT our showroom or call for a free brochure. UNIQUE refinishers - Vx (770)945-0072 800-332-0048 FAX: (770) 271-1514 www.unlquaraflnlahers.com k (■2O TST WE ALSO SPECIALIZE IN ANTIQUE TUB A SINK RESTORATION \ . 1 Christmas Eve - Wednesday, December 24 10 AM - Christmas and Caring Service of Hope for those who have suffered loss Candlelight and Holy Communion: The Pipe Organ will begin playing 30 minutes prior to these services: 5:00 PM - Family Service 7:00 PM - Traditional Service 10:45 PM - Service of Eucharist and Special Music Childcare for infants through age 3 * ~~T\ except the 10:45 pm service Cumming First 101/ United Methodist Church j Ml ( 770)887 - 2900 (2 miles west of Cumming on Hwy 20) ■JILf vjjireP Rev. John L. Cromartie, Jr. Senior Pastor I i \ IK Bn -‘v^-r^TT-rU ? Tit jlk 1 MXft Till P4n t*l J? Ji **l Photo/ Audra Perry Mashburn Elementary Student Council members collected three large boxes of new toys to fill stockings that might otherwise be empty this holiday. The third-, fourth- and fifth-graders on the council stood in the halls of Mashburn for two weeks in December jingling bells and wearing Santa hats to attract donations. ! ' '' ' ‘'.Jr V ■MMI fl 'J* 1 ' • ** 11 Photo/Submitted Kindergartners Marisa and Alexa Hull, left and right, give stocking stuffers to Mashburn Elementary Student Council member Hunter Brown, 9, as part of a project to collect small toys for needy children in Forsyth County. Help a child and have some fun. S IO Our activity book with (D is a natural for all kids, and benefits Donald McDonald House. /X “X* Dillard’s m