This Easter season, the Joshua House was the recipient of a special gift from the Tyrone Area High School French Club.
Members of the French Club, along with other students participating in Tyrone High School teacher Madame Smith’s French class, sponsored their first fundraiser to benefit the youth of the Tyrone community.
When the project was completed, the funds raised for Joshua House equaled $250. Director of Joshua House, Jim Kilmartin, visited Smith and student representatives from the French Club at the high school last week to receive the gift.
Joshua House was chosen by the French Club members to receive money raised from symbol ornaments that could be purchased for a $1 or more from teachers, students and parents. The ornaments were made by Madame Smith’s students, and they also showed the contributor’s name.
The symbol ornaments were placed on a wooden tree the French Club decided to call “l’Arbre de Joie,” or the joyful tree. Mrs. Ferrari’s art classes were responsible for constructing the tree.
Ornaments included many symbols, phrases and structures of French culture, including the fleur de Lis and Moulin Rouge, to name a few. The writing on the ornaments was done in calligraphy, which French Club students Kendall Markel and Jean Keller took many hours to complete.
Smith said the tree most likely will be displayed at Joshua House sometime in the near future so individuals can observe it.
She also said this was the first charitable fundraiser for the community the French Club has completed. She added that next year the French Club may do another fundraising project for the community.
“Sometimes the kids do fundraisers when there is something to gain, which is okay, but this was for good,” said Smith.
