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Yard sale will mark return of teacher, parent group

Parrott Middle School's PTO is hosting a market on Saturday to raise funds for student activities.

By MATTHEW WASSERMAN
Published December 1, 2005

BROOKSVILLE - The long-disbanded Parent Teacher Organization at Parrott Middle School is back this year and is starting the holiday month with a sale. On Saturday, the front parking lot at Parrott will become a market filled with all kinds of gifts.

"We've got 15 tables reserved so far," parent educator Carol Brooks said last week. "We've got room for about 10 more."

Although the event is called the Parrott Yard Sale, much of it will be set up like a flea market. People rent a space for $10, supply their own displays and goods, and pocket whatever they make. However, the Parrott student government, school advisory council, builders club and PTO booths will not keep their money; it goes back into the clubs and the school.

Parrott PTO president Renee Batten said not only will much of the money go to good causes, the event itself will serve a larger purpose.

"This whole thing provides an opportunity for parents and their kids to do something together. It should be an awesome thing to see," Batten said. "Every time I go to school, I just think that if it had some more incentives for the students, it would inspire some of them. This will help raise money for them."

Batten and her daughter, Courtney, a 13-year-old eighth-grader and a member of the student government, school advisory council and builders club, plan on double-teaming for the yard sale by each having a booth in an effort to raise as much money for the school as possible.

"I'm going to be selling everything from a computer scanner to a food mixer to a bunch of books," Mrs. Batten said.

Courtney will be selling something a little more creative.

"My grandma taught me a lot about arts and crafts," Courtney said, "so I'll be selling different colored little hanging hearts made out of canvas."

Brooks, who came up the idea and organized the event, said the yard sale is a good way to raise money and announce that the Parrott PTO is back in action.

"We have about 35 members so far," she said. "Whenever there is parental involvement, students do better, and sometimes you just need a little fun to get the parents involved."

Anyone interested in renting a booth at the yard sale may contact Brooks at 797-7075.

-- Mathew Wasserman can be reached at Mat65432@aol.com

[Last modified December 1, 2005, 01:07:16]