As part of their commitment to the community, the Linden High School Student Council has decided to adopt a grandparent.

In attempts to brighten the holiday season for the elderly, the students have organized “Adopt a Grandparent Day.”

“There are a lot of people in the nursing home who don’t have a family to do stuff for them when the holidays are coming up,” council representative Darlene Ravizee said. “So we are going to do it to make them happy.”

The group of students sold paper angels and gifts to their peers and faculty at Linden High for $1 to fund the purchase of items for residents of the Marengo County Nursing Home.

“We sold about 150 angels, and we have 20 residents,” faculty advisor Brooke Mourning said. “So Shamell [Tate, council representative] just called over there and asked them what they needed.”

Thus, the students ended up packing toothpaste, toothbrushes, socks, t-shirts and lotion into a musical holiday goodie bag for the residents.

“It’s just what they need,” Tate said. “It’s the necessities.”

The students delivered their special packages to the nursing home Friday at 10 a.m.

Decked in holiday colors and Santa hats, the students began the morning by holiday hymns to residents in the nursing home community room.

The winners of Linden High’s holiday poetry contest accommodated the council to read their original poems for their new grandparents.

Linden High senior Naquita Lurk won $10 for third place. Senior Janie Charleston won $15 for second place and sophomore Jermaine Black won $25 for first place.

The group then made special deliveries to visit each senior they had a gift for.

Led by president Kerby Aldridge and vice president Crystal Brown, the Linden High School Student Council is strongly committed to serving its duties to the school, as well as the community.

Group members are juniors Mytisha Hinton and Keanna Tate and seniors Cambii Woodyard, secretary Crystal Smith, Shamika McCorvey, Janie L. Charleston, and Shamell Tate.

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina brought many evacuees to the area, the council hosted a canned food drive to collect food items for victims of the storm.

The all-female group also gave their school halls a much-needed facelift when they teamed up to repaint the school.

“We just want to service the community,” Ravizee said.