North Surry High School Life Skills students recently received a donation of classroom supplies from the Ararat Volunteer Fire Department.
Life Skills classroom teacher Linda Galasetti-Simmons said the department’s Unit 1 truck, which is used for medical calls, and several firefighters and junior firefighters came to the school and allowed students to try on firefighter turnout gear and tour the vehicle.
Ararat VFD personnel who participated included firefighter Lee Elliot, North Surry student and special firefighter Adam Hamdan, Ararat Junior Firefighter of the Year Aaron Taylor and fellow junior firefighters Amber Taylor, Sam Lowe and Tyler Yarboro.
Galasetti-Simmons said that Elliot is the uncle of Amber and Aaron Taylor and Adam Hamdan, which added a special family dimension to the visit. She said the department had decided it also would be a good activity for the students to get to put on turnout gear and activate the vehicle’s sirens and lights.
She said Fire Chief Wes Key indicated it was the first time his department has participated in a project like this for the Life Skills Class. The donation project also was helped further by Hamdan and Lowe, who are North Surry students.
“They (her students) were a little hesitant for a couple of minutes and then they just did great,” said Galasetti-Simmons. “The need for supplies was mentioned at a fire department meeting and they got on the ball in a hurry and donated more than $100 in needed supplies for us. The support of our community is very strong. It is important for my students to participate in special events and everyday events as part of their education.”








