Help instead of homecoming

By Staff
Students scale down event to help hurricane victims
Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Hartselle Enquirer
The Falkville High School Student Council is cutting preparation costs for this year's homecoming dance to aid high school students in Mississippi affected by Hurricane Katrina.
"We spend $500 for homecoming decorations every year and some schools don't even have computers now," Christal Dekich, FHS Student Council president, said. "I asked our sponsor, Mrs. (Francis) Rowe, if we could cut back the homecoming costs this year to help those schools hit by Hurricane Katrina. She thought it was a good idea, so then I asked the student council and everyone got excited about the idea."
This year's FHS homecoming theme is "Old Hollywood." To cut back on expenses, the student council is making many of the props, backdrops and general decorations they would usually order from a catalog. The students are also reusing materials from other school events, such as the annual pageant, and plan to sell raffle tickets for the decorations that will be purchased.
"We have cardboard stand-ups of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Humphrey Bogart to raffle at the dance," Dekich explained. "We're also selling top hats, feather boas and homecoming T-shirts to help raise money. Our goal is $600 and we want to take the money to Mississippi because our assistant principal, Coach (Keith) Wilemon, is from there. We want to help the schools cleanup, setup, and get back to normal. We want to do whatever we can."
The FHS Student Council is challenging schools throughout Morgan County to cut homecoming expenses and partner with them to help students in the storm-ravaged gulf region. Members of the student council said having a positive effort to concentrate on has given them an outlet to cope with and discuss the tragedy.
"All the seniors are more excited than usual this year about homecoming," Emily Gover, FHS Student Council secretary, said. "They appreciate this effort and realize how lucky we are to even get to have a homecoming."
For more information on partnering with the FHS Student Council for hurricane relief efforts, contact Francis Rowe, FHS Student Council sponsor, at 784-5248.
The Falkville High School Blue Devils vs. Cordova homecoming game will be held Friday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. The homecoming court will be presented and the queen will be crowned at halftime. The homecoming dance will immediately follow.