Friday morning’s wet grounds and threatening weather did not deter 196 James River High School students from spending the morning in the school’s first “Day of Service.”

Those students divided into six teams of 25 to 35 students each and helped with outside projects at Buchanan Elementary, Limestone Park, Buchanan Swinging Bridge Park, Eagle Rock Community Park, Fincastle and New Freedom Farm in Buchanan.

“It’s breath taking. It makes my heart warm that young people want to be helpful,” Lois Fritz explained as 28 students mucked old hay, planted flowers, picked up roadside trash and did other chores at the non-profit New Freedom Farm in Buchanan.

The sentiments were the same from others, too.

“It gave you a good feeling about the youth of the county,” William Critcher said. He’s president of the Eagle Rock Ruritan Club where students spent a couple hours cleaning up, mulching and working in the community park and playground that’s owned by the Ruritan Club.

For Sharon Coleman, it was a great morning as students did a variety of chores at Limestone Park— from moving stone, planting flowers, cleaning out brick sidewalks, trimming shrubs, cleaning around the pool, cleaning the concession area and more.

“Most are just going at it,” she said as she watched the bevy of activity. “This is just great.”

The event evolved in the spring after the James River High School FFA Chapter began looking for ways to make a difference in the community, FFA Advisor and teacher Zachary Wakeman explained.

“We began thinking of some big way to give back and at the same time our school’s Leadership Team wanted to set aside time to complete more community service,” he said. “The two ideas came together and we created our Day of Service.”

The FFA chapter applied for a $400 National FFA Living To Serve Grant and it was approved so that helped cover most of the funding this first Day of Service, he said.

“As the event grows, we hope to be able to apply for additional grants while connecting with more local sponsors and supporters to help the event continue to grow.”

The responses he got from the community were overwhelmingly positive, he said.

“We were very excited about the proposal because the town has had great successes with groups from the high school in the past,” Town of Buchanan Revitalization and Events Coordinator Harry Gleason said. “Based on the suggestions of possible activities from Mr. Wakeman, the Swinging Bridge Park appeared to be a perfect match to the request, the site is highly visible, the site needed a spring spruce up and it was a manageable project within the time students had available to volunteer their time, talents and resources.

“Despite the rain, about 30 students showed up at the site ready to work. Students broke up into smaller groups, tools in hand, and began weeding flowerbeds, followed with mulching. Within two hours the students had weeded and mulched all of the flowerbeds,” Gleason added.

“It was a great day for Buchanan as more than 100 students dispersed to four sites throughout the community to lend a helping hand,” he noted.

Buchanan Elementary School Principal Debbie Garrett was glad to have the student help.

She said the students didn’t let the rain dampen their spirits or work ethic.

“Students weeded, mulched, pruned and completed a variety of projects. The students eagerly embraced everything that needed to be completed with a eager spirit and determined attitude,” Garrett said. “Because of their willingness to help, the front entrance and side courtyard area have been refreshed and are ready for the last few days of school.”

Like the others, she thanked the students, Wakeman and other teachers involved.