Teachers Wendy Fritz and Bill Kvebak were among the Detroit Lakes High School staff leading student volunteers on Wednesday, May 9 in participating with the United Way's annual Day of Caring.
The United Way Day of Caring is a national event rooted in promoting volunteerism and awareness of local human services.
The special education teacher Wendy Fritz said the kids were excited to volunteer with their classmates and to meet the homeowners they were assisting.
"Students that may not be the best academically turned out to be the hardest workers of the group," Fritz said.
Her group raked lawns in 50 degree misty weather, along with hundreds of their fellow students across Becker County.
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Fritz had yet to hear any complaints from her students.
The idea to assist local residents with yard work started with LuAnn Porter. As the Becker County United Way Executive Director, she has been coordinating the local event every year since 1999.
"In Detroit Lakes, we are the only ones who work exclusively with schools, pairing them with community members," Porter said. "That idea originated here."
Porter took a national event and made it unique to Becker County, providing services for eligible applicants like senior citizens, disabled residents and active military families.
Ever since, students have been volunteering on the special day, in rain or shine.
On Wednesday, they raked, cleaned off flower beds, trimmed bushes, picked up trash and washed windows.
DLHS social studies teacher Bill Kvebak led a group of students along Highway 34, working hard for over three hours.
The students professed their findings, among all the litter and garbage, to include diapers, car parts, toys, a disposable camera photo and a large plastic board that they were facetiously calling "Trump's wall" according to Emilia Turner, 15.
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"It's not ideal weather, but it felt rewarding to help veterans," Turner said. She said they found fulfillment in assisting residents and had fun doing it.
When it was nearly lunchtime, they were ready to get back on the bus, after clearing leaves, debris and peculiar objects from a long stretch of boulevard.
Nearly all students and staff from the Detroit Lakes, Frazee and Lake Park-Audubon school districts participated.
