Blairsville PTO plans 2007 activities

The Blairsville Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is actively planning the year's activities.

The PTO Board consists of parents who collaborate with school personnel to ascertain the school needs and those of the students. The PTO also sponsors fundraisers to support the Union County schools directly. The PTO also provides programs to enhance the parent-teacherchild relationships. Additionally, the PTO encourages the local community to be involved by supporting fundraisers or by attending any of the public activities sponsored by the PTO.

The PTO has already sponsored a Kindergarten Welcome Coffee, complete with tissues for those parents who might be overcome with emotion for their child's first day of school.

Additionally, the PTO is selling Panther gear, including flip-flops with a pawprint on the bottom, sun visors and beach towels. Flip-flops run large and are for sale for $14.00, sun visors are $8.00 and beach towels are $14.00. These items will be available at PTO sponsored events while supplies last, or by contacting Courtney Wallar at 706-745-8736.

The PTO's main fundraiser is set to begin August 20 and run through August 31. The children will be selling a variety of items through Jaxco. These items include holiday gift ideas and gift wrap, cooking items, snacks, Harley Davidson/Nascar/college sports items, personalized/engraveable gifts, and magazine subscriptions to name a few. Please consider purchasing from a child you know to help support our local schools. If you have not been approached but would be interested in purchasing items, you may go online to the Jaxco website or contact the Union County schools. Items purchased will be sent directly to your home.

The PTO will sponsor a family movie night, currently set for Saturday, September 8, 2007, with the festivities beginning at 8:30 p.m. The movie will be a G-rated selection and will be shown at the Elementary School playground. Admission is free. Concessions will be available at a small price.

If you have a child in the Union County schools, your child should have brought home a PTO flyer. Membership is only $5.00 annually for each adult. Members' children are eligible to apply for college scholarships in their senior year. The PTO is also seeking volunteers to assist at their various events. If you did not receive your flyer, but wish to join or volunteer your time, please contact your local school for a flyer or to leave a note in the PTO's mailbox.

The 2007-2008 PTO Executive Board members are as follows: President: Melinda Weldon; Vice President: Kris-Ann Stanley; Secretary: Lisa Harmon; and Treasurer: Catherine Williams.