 |
| Tara Epling, a Union College freshman and Miss Kentucky contestant, gives Haiti-relief Ziploc bags to St. Camillus students Sydney and Warren Renfro. Photo courtesy of Joetta Gaunt. |
Student Enlists Children in Haiti Relief
Union freshman Tara Epling is in one of the busiest seasons of her young life.
She’s completing her first year of college, preparing for the upcoming Miss Kentucky pageant, and coordinating a Haiti relief effort with local children.
The Barbourville native is working with children at St. Camillus Academy in Corbin to raise relief items and funds for Haiti, all while teaching young children about service.
“I started with St. Camillus because everyone said they’re great about doing things like this,” says Epling. “They’re really involved in service.”
She wanted to work with school-aged children because, she says, they have “a will and an interest in helping people that even many adults don’t have.”
On Feb. 19, Epling visited St. Camillus and addressed the entire school. She encouraged the children to collect everyday items like toothbrushes and washcloths in two-gallon Ziploc bags given to them for that purpose. This Friday, March 5, Epling will return to the school to collect their donated items and host a pizza and ice cream party for everyone who participates.
Epling hopes to expand the effort into other area schools. She is in preliminary talks with both Middlesboro Elementary and Knox County Middle School. She says the sooner children begin engaging in community service, the better.
“They know it’s devastating,” says Epling. “They know it’s a troubled time. I think involving them will lead them to help others, to be interested in volunteering.”
As for Epling, she was led to work on behalf of Haiti relief efforts as part of her Miss Kentucky platform: youth and elderly services (Y.E.S.). The work also pairs well with her college and career goals; Epling plans to be a social work major in Union’s new undergraduate social work program.
In addition to asking local children to join in the cause, she has sought the support of local businesses. Epling says, so far, area dentists Brent McDonald and Eddie Smith and businesses such as Burger King, McDonald’s, WalMart and the Knox County Hospital have all pitched in with much-needed relief supplies.
Epling will compete in the Miss Kentucky pageant this July.
