Members of the Future Business Leaders of America at Pike County High School got down to serious business and came up with an idea to help those who are less fortunate during the Christmas season.

Shanterria Shipman, FBLA president, said several members of the business leaders’ organization discussed doing a project that would be in the true spirit of the season.

Shipman said giving back to one’s community is a mindset that is catching on among many high school students.

“We can look around and see that there are people who have very little and we just thought that, instead of thinking about what we want, we should think about what we could do for somebody else,” she said.

The FBLA members did a little brainstorming and decided they should ask someone who deals with people in need on a regular basis for ideas.

“We called the Pike County Salvation Army because it’s a very visible charitable organization and talked with the lady there, (Kim May, director),” Kentavian Reynolds, project chair, said. “She said there is always a need for food and suggested a food drive so that’s what we did.”

In two weeks time, the FBLA food drive for the Salvation Army collected more than 500 cans of non-perishable foods.

Morgan Senn, FBLA vice president, said the future business leaders opened the canned food drive to the student body and, during the last few days of the drive, it was opened to the community.

“Our students donated most of the canned food but the community also contributed,” she said. “We were excited with the participation.”

As an incentive to support the food canned drive, the FBLA offered a pizza party as a prize for the class that collected the most cans.

“Coach Branson’s class was the winner of the pizza party,” Shipman said. “They collected 74 cans. Dominoes donated the pizza and we really thank them for that.”

Reynolds said doing something for others is what Christmas is all about. “It makes you feel good.”

PCHS Principal Willie Wright said it is encouraging when students decide on their own to do something worthwhile for the community.

“The FBLA students came up with the idea, organized the project, picked up the canned food items and packed them for delivery,” he said. “This is their project. We like for our students to be community minded.”

Senn said the FBLA is involved in other community service projects.

“We have participated in the March of Dimes campaign and the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign,” she said. “We are planning to do a clothing drive this winter and to collect coats and other clothing for people need during the winter.”

The FBLA members thanked advisor, LaShanda Barnes, for her support.