Bentworth students host friendsgiving for Special Olympics
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
Bentworth High School senior Bryan Griffith prepares a “friendsgiving” dinner Thursday for members of the Special Olympics.
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
Students in the Bentworth School District serve a turkey and ham dinner to members of the Special Olympics and their family and friends.
BENTLEYVILLE – Members of the Special Olympics in Washington and Greene counties have more reason to be thankful this holiday season.
Students in Bentworth School District served them a full-course turkey and ham dinner Thursday in what they termed a “friendsgiving” celebration.
“I think it’s wonderful,” said Bentworth senior Bryan Griffith.
“I cooked all day and am just helping the community,” Griffith, 17, said while he separated turkey meat from bones at Bentleyville Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall.
Julianna Morrell, Bentworth High School’s library media specialist, said she pitched the dinner to her students after seeing a post on social media about a similar event.
“I said, ‘What do you think?’ and they said, “We can do this,'” Morrell said at the event.
She said Range Resources of Southpointe was a big sponsor of the dinner for about 160 people that cost about $1,500.
“I thought I would be able to get our kids involved,” Morrell said.
Texas Roadhouse donated buns for the dinner that also included homemade mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, green beans with bacon and sweet corn.
The students spent the previous day baking pumpkin pies, cupcakes and cookies, Morrell said.
“It’s a really nicely put-together event,” said Jim Binz, a field director for the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania.
“This is amazing for us, added Jody Knight of Washington, the new project manager of the local program.
“The students have done everything. They said, ‘We got this’,” Knight said.