WRHS students rake up leaves and hearts

by Janetta Petkus
 

Not a few Rutland seniors are stunned and grateful that 25 WRHS girls' volleyball players chose to visit their homes on October 27. The girls took rakes and plastic bags into their hands, and completed with the world's most powerful adversary-nature.

They worked for no pay and even refused refreshments, but they obviously enjoyed themselves, and developed a deeper appreciation for an earlier generation.

Those with aged (and not so aged) limbs often dread New England's yearly tussle with leaf and twig piles, swirling wind gusts and back aches. So it's no wonder people like 90-year-old Marty Minasian thought the young athletic bodies scurrying around his yard like whirling dervishes were not only beautiful, but never to be forgotten.

He keeps a photograph of the three girls who came to assist him during this year's fall chores on his mantle. "They were so nice, and so cute," he says frequently.

Minisian and seniors at nine other Rutland households were the recipients of a community service project concocted by WRHS volleyball coach Al Morel. He placed a call to the Rutland Senior Center last week and, in about the time it takes for a maple leaf to spin to the ground, outreach worker Dale Hayden organized the necessary phone calls, as many names as she could, plus travel routes to the household sites.

"On Friday we played Ayer, and on Saturday we did the raking, on Sunday the girls took part in the Student Council's 11-mile walk to aid the September 11 victims," Morel says. "They walked from the high school to Mount Wachusett."

Morel, who has coached at Holy Cross College, is in his first year at WRHS and also coaches the boys' volleyball team at St. John's in the spring. He likes his teams to get involved with the community service projects. This fall season at Wachusett, high school members from the JV and varsity squads were involved.

"The raking was rewarding for everyone," he says. "The senior citizens told us how much it meant to them. I know not many can afford landscaping services. But it was also a lot of fun and a great bonding event for us."

Like Hayden, Morel believes American culture segregates the generations too much. He's part of "the sandwich generation" himself, used to caring for his young kids and older relatives, too. In the future, he hopes to expand this fall community program to include other towns as well.

Meanwhile, someone told Morel that members of the WRHS football team had been seen raking leaves near a church and library at Holden center recently.

"Now that's the way competition between boys and girls should be played out," says Morel.

Visit the WRHS Girls' Volleyball team wesite at www.volleywithal.com/wachusett for more information.

(Left to right) 90-year-old Marty Minasian enjoyed fall this year thanks

to WRHS girls' volleyball team members Kelly Sullivan, Noelle German and Megan Towle.