For most students, school is the place to learn, but a local Columbus principal wants to make his school also a place where families can feel welcome to come together, be together and grow together.
Clifty Creek Elementary School principal Michael Parsons started brainstorming in August to find a way to bring all of Clifty Creek’s roughly 500 families together in one place for a Thanksgiving meal.
“I thought if we’d be able to do something like this, one, we’d be bringing our families to school to share a meal together, share a story together and share experiences together, but it’d also be an opportunity to model what it looks like to selflessly give to others,” Parsons said. “That was the goal we wanted to come out of it.”
On Nov. 22, more than 750 people gathered inside the Clifty Creek gymnasium to partake in a 380 pounds of turkey and about 800 servings of mashed potatoes, green beans, noodles and rolls.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
Parsons said an undertaking of this size couldn’t have been done by Clifty Creek alone. With the help of Athens Church, Petersville Church, Outreach Church and hundreds of community volunteers and donations, Clifty Creek was able to serve the more than 750 people who walked through the school’s front doors.
Athens Church has been heavily involved at Clifty Creek for the last few years, serving teachers and students in multiple capacities. On Nov. 22, the church had about 50 volunteers preparing and serving meals. Around 20 people from Petersville Church and Outreach Church also volunteered their time to make the dinner a success.
Each family who attended the event also received a free family portrait, a first for many families, Parsons said.
“This continually reinforces my belief in what I know in that our Clifty Creek community is full of great kids and great families,” Parsons said. “Anytime you can have 750 people walk through the front doors of a building in less than 90 minutes and they’re able to share a meal together, laugh together, see their smiling faces reinforces we’re doing great things at Clifty.”
This was the first time a Thanksgiving meal of this size had been done at Clifty Creek, Parsons said.
Parsons said his vision is to create a special event every year that gives back to Clifty Creek families. In 2018, the school held a clothing drive and receives nearly 5,000 donations of new and gently used clothing for back-to-school. He expects next year’s event to be bigger and better for the community.
“We saw a level of gratitude, a level of thankfulness and a level of pride that this is our school and our school is doing great things and I am glad my kid goes here,” Parsons said. “I hope when they left, I hope they continue to feel, ‘Clifty cares about me. Clifty Creek loves me. Clifty Creek is willing to do whatever it takes to bring this community together and make my child successful.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Pull Quote” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
“Anytime you can have 750 people walk through the front doors of a building in less than 90 minutes and they’re able to share a meal together, laugh together, see their smiling faces reinforces we’re doing great things at Clifty.” – Michael Parsons, Clifty Creek principal
[sc:pullout-text-end]
