“Let Us Lead by Serving Others” Submitted by: Logan Reed
The Owsley County High School BETA club has been living up to their motto, “Let Us Lead by Serving Others”. We participated in the Family and Community Fair Night, organized our biannual blood drive, and helped Owsley County Cancer Care Ministry secure funds to aid in their efforts to assist Owsley County residents who have medical needs.
BETA set up a booth during the Family and Community Fair night. The overall theme was “Pride in our Kentucky and Owsley County History”. During the Family and Community Fair Night we displayed a copy of our OCHS charter BETA club members and a copy of the first official BETA minutes, submitted by Joyce Ann Tincher in 1964 (see documents). The BETA club offered free face paintings during the Family and Community Fair Night. We have some stellar artists within our group.
Owsley County High School BETA club has two blood drives per year; once in the fall and again in the spring. BETA members take great pride in this community effort. During our fall drive, Owsley County BETA club registered 22 donors and collected 20 donations. The following information explains the importance of our effort:
• Kentucky Blood Center is a nonprofit, independent community blood center not affiliated with any other blood bank.
• KBC has grown from a small blood bank started in 1968, into a regional blood center and processing facility serving more than 70 medical facilities across the state.
• Unlike other blood banks that send blood to distant labs for processing and distribution, blood donated with KBC is collected, processed, and distributed locally in Kentucky for Kentucky patients.
The Cancer Care Ministry is a local organization that helps community members defray the cost of their medical treatment expenses. BETA members were pleased to help with a bucket shake for the organization. The students who participated in ‘shake the bucket for a cure’ included: Helen Bardin, Marley Caudell, Kiauna Campbell, Crissy Blevins, Christian Bowling, Tori Gilbert, Adriana Halsey, Kevin Hayton, Alana Marshall, Callie Smallwood, and Timothy Smallwood.
“Leading by serving others” allows Beta students to make a difference in their community while developing leadership skills and establishing foundations of character.
