Johnson County Special Olympics team completes first community service project

By Brenda Dyer

PAINTSVILLE — The Johnson County Special Olympics Eagles team did its first community service project, which was a Blessing Bag to help give back to the community.

The athletes decided to help others like others help them and chose to help children that are placed into the foster care system by filling backpacks with basic items needed as they arrive at the agency with nothing from home.

The athletes collected items such as backpacks, blankets, tooth brushes, stuffed toys, coloring books, crayons, etc. The team then met and had a packing party to fill the book bags for the children.

During the recent floods in Eastern Kentucky, a special needs class was destroyed at Whitesburg Middle School, and the athletes decided to share the love with this group too.

The athletes filled and donated 30 book bags to donate to the NECCO foster agency in Floyd County and Rhoda Whitaker’s special needs class at Whitesburg Middle School in Letcher County.

NECCO officials said they were “thankful for the Johnson County Special Olympic athletes taking the time to help our foster children in need.”

NECCO is always looking for foster parents. If you are interested in helping a child by becoming a foster parent, contact (606) 910-4308 to learn more about how to get started.