Tippecanoe Valley High School freshmen participated in the Viking Day of Giving on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The students then completed community service projects in Akron, Mentone and Winona Lake. Pausing for a moment from their cleaning efforts at Winona Lake Limitless Park to pose with Beachy the Bison are from left: Kade Francis, Luke Tucker, Jarrett Duncan, Max Ponder, Blaine Baney and Kolton Seaney. Photos provided.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

AKRON — Tippecanoe Valley High School freshmen got a lesson in service on Wednesday, Oct. 13.

Approximately 140 students participated in the Viking Day of Giving. Along with some Valley staff members, they completed tasks in Mentone, Akron and Winona Lake, including painting a building at the Akron Cemetery and picking up trash and leaves at Winona Lake Limitless Park.

This is the first year the event’s been known as the Viking Day of Giving, but the high school’s done it before, said TVHS Counselor Lacey Wise.

“This has not happened in the past few years, and we are excited to bring it back to our students,” she said.

The school wanted to teach the kids about “giving back” through the event, Wise said.

“We want to instill in our students the importance of giving back to others and helping our community,” she said. “Our school feels that our community could use our young people’s help and should see them in action! We have great kids who will benefit from this opportunity and a great community that will benefit as well.”

Bailey Bussard, left, and Mackaylie Costello share a smile while doing some landscaping in Winona Lake.

Students work on painting a building at the Akron Cemetery.