East Panhandle Times

Hedgesville Middle School’s Student Council recently held a book fair to raise funds for a local nonprofit organization, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, which builds beds for children in need. The event took place from March 24 to 28, where students purchased books priced between $1 to $3.

The initiative was spearheaded by a seventh-grade student, Bailey Carrell, who was inspired to create a community-minded project and partnered with her fellow students Sydney Young, Grace Young, and Fiona Hall to coordinate the event. Carrell commented on the effort involved, stating, “We realized it takes a lot of hard work to do something like this, but the end result is worth it. We are also more capable than we realize.”

With backing from Student Council advisors Kaylee Hutchinson and Rachel Wilt, and assistance from the school's librarian, Kelly Sholl, to manage the logistics, the book fair was a notable success. Initially, the project began with a slow start, with only five books donated. However, collections eventually surpassed 600 books, and over $1,200 was raised to support the nonprofit.

The Student Council members had considered how best to use the funds, ultimately deciding on contributing to the local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Their goal aligns with providing every child in the community a safe and comfortable sleeping arrangement, with 68 beds still needed for children in the area.

The students found the experience rewarding, reinforcing their confidence in making a significant impact. The remaining books from the fair will be sold, with the proceeds added to their donation, and any unsold copies will go to the Eastern Panhandle Instructional Cooperative. The success and enjoyment of the event have prompted the students to consider making the book fair an annual tradition.