Though Columbus County is full of organizations willing to offer a helping hand, one group of teenagers is doing everything they can for the community they love. Laiken Edwards is the president of a club called the Whiteville Juniorettes.
The club is engaging in some “ethical bullying” throughout September. Edwards and her friends are spreading over 500 painted stones known as Kindness Rocks around Whiteville and Lake Waccamaw. The colorful, hand-painted rocks are just a way to brighten a stranger’s day. Each bears an inspirational saying or other artwork.
The Juniorettes president says the inspiration for the project came from her parents.
“My parents use to be youth leaders at a church in Bladenboro. I just kind of got the idea from there,” said Edwards.
She said Kindness Rocks was met with overwhelming support from her fellow members.
“One girl donated and painted 117 rocks,” she explained.
Edwards said she tries to come up with some type of community service for the group to do each month.
The Whiteville Juniorettes are a civic group made up of 57 young ladies, ranging from high school freshmen to seniors, who engage in philanthropy work wherever they are called. One of their most recent activities was painting faces at the Fall for Good Health Festival near Clarkton.
The club also raises money for their college-bound members and awards the graduates with scholarships each year, and they hold a school supply donation drive in the fall.
They participate in the Mistletoe Market held by their mentors, the Whiteville Junior Woman’s Club, every December, and this year the girls hope to have ‘Letters from Santa’ for the little ones.
The Whiteville Juniorettes Club take up donations at any time including clothing, food, and school supplies, and use it for their community projects. The girls are currently taking up canned goods for a Trick or Treat distribution event for local neighborhoods for October.
If you would like help with the cause, you can contact Edwards via the group’s Facebook page. You can also send an email to laikenedwardswjc@gmail.com. She is also featured in this week’s Columbus Connection with Jefferson Weaver.
