A club showing humanity
By: Jaleena Ruiz-Osorio
A club at Timber Creek High School has volunteered and joined to go around helping the homeless with the helping the homeless club. The sponsor of the club is Michael Dutcher. Chris Le is the President of the club. There is also Santiago Castro and Shanny Ruiz who are the Co-Vice Presidents. The typical days there are events for going out to help are Saturdays during the school year. Currently the club is doing events with #lunchbagorlando which is a group of people that will construct and design a bag of lunch to hand out to the homeless in downtown Orlando. Another event is the members going around a homeless shelter and helping clean up the area. “We are also working on creating a pallet garden so that we can use what is grown in the lunches that we distribute to those in need,” said club sponsor, Michael Dutcher.
About 10 years ago helping the homeless club first started at Timber Creek High School. Dutcher had first been approached by a student who had a club suggestion and asked Mr. Dutcher to sponsor the homeless club. Since this one approach Mr. Dutcher has been the club sponsor since then. From the beginning to start the club has gone from just 20 people to 200 amazing helpers. Mr. Dutcher has had a big impact on the club, but not just the homeless but many people in general like the members of the club. “I have always had a desire to help people but working with the club has definitely increased my drive to help as much as possible. The events where you actually interact with homeless people and children are really impactful and when you see the happiness that it brings them it definitely makes you want to do more to help if possible,” said Dutcher.
Freshman Alex Widdle is a member of the helping the homeless club. “The teens unite when you pass out food in Lake Eola to the homeless,” is Alex’s favorite event when asked what her favorite event was. Many students can and do benefit from helping the homeless club. The benefits of the club include volunteer hours and being able to feel good after helping. Alex is not only invested in helping people in the club but as well as outside of the club.
Additionally, freshman Luis Luque is also a member of the helping the homeless club. The club has impacted Luis’s social skills in dealing with others and having contact like handing out the bagged lunches to them. “I joined the club because I wanted to be part of something that’s bigger than me, so like I wanted to be a part of something of change” said Luis Luque. Lunch bag Orlando is an event that Luis “loves” to do, but recently learned Luis wishes helping the homeless club will be able to have other activities. He is looking forward to joining the club next year as well.
