Twin Rivers seniors recognize milestone with community help

Ashley House didn’t expect a Facebook group for Twin Rivers seniors to get as popular as it has. After less than a week, the group has 330 members.

The group — Twin Rivers High School Adopt a Senior 2020 — focuses on giving the graduating class “a bit of positivity toward the end of their senior days.”

House started the group last week after finding out about a similar group for Southeast Missouri as a whole and some for individual schools. She said she noticed some Twin Rivers seniors were in these other groups and thought they should have something of their own.

“I was laying in bed ... and I just stayed up until about 2 o’clock making them a page,” she said.

As part of the group, seniors can post their picture and some information about themselves, then community members volunteer to adopt them.

The community members then can send care packages, gift cards or anything to recognize the milestone in their adoptee’s life.

House said she has everybody from coaches to family members volunteer to adopt.

She also had 22 businesses offer donations for the group over the first three days, including her own business. Some she’s called and others have contacted her about wanting to donate.

She will give the donations out after drawings this week.

Now, she has four other adults helping with the group — senior parents Amie Austin and Janelle Trout, teacher aid Amber Lashley and Melissa Burger.

Since adding the additional administrator, House has focused on working with businesses for donations.

Because of the stay-at-home order, which expired Monday, House temporarily closed her business. Instead, she started spending seven or eight hours a day working on the group.

“This is the only week I have to get this page together and get the seniors some donations,” House said. “So, I’ve just been putting in quite a bit of time to get it done, because I’ll be back to work (this week) and I will not have any time.”

House said part of why she’s put that kind of time into the group is familiarity with some seniors. Her son is a junior and plays on the basketball team. She cuts hair for some team members and knows other parents.

“I wanted to help them out,” she said.

She said there’s at least 53 seniors in the group so far and the administrators are working to add as many as possible, whether it’s the student themselves or a family member.