Husky Helper Day A Big Success

If the town was looking extra spiffy over this beautiful weekend, a good part of it was due to the efforts of 570 students who were working at various town and private agencies.

This was the second annual Husky Helper Day, held on Friday, May 18.

The goal of the event is to get students out of the school and into the community, meeting the people who run the town departments and other private organizations, and lending a hand where help is needed.

Morgan School Principal Keri Hagness said more than 25 town organizations including many churches, nursery schools, town hall, the fire department, etc. signed up to have a group of students come to their location and work.

"They worked really hard today," said Hagness of her students. "No one was sitting back and relaxing."  

It wasn't always glamorous work, noted Hagness, who said a group of students found a little water snake in the Project Graduation trailer as they were cleaning it out.

Last year, about 10 organizations signed up for workers. This year, word got around and many more called Hagness in order to be on the slate for Husky Helper Day.

Over at , First Selectman Willie Fritz said a group of students had cleaned and polished the tables in the Green Room among other chores.

"They dragged the tables outside and had them all cleaned up and polished," said Fritz.

Morgan Environmental Studies teacher Ali Izadi said he had a group of students walking the town trails picking up branches and any debris.

Cindy Stevens, who helps organize the project, had students at her house boxing up supplies such as gum, socks, playing cards, candy and other items for U.S. soldiers serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Planning for Husky Helper day took about three months, said Hagness, and was orchestrated by the Morgan Alliance group.