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The Inter-Mountain photo by Edgar Kelley
Old Brick Playhouse and New School Executive Director Missy Armentrout McCollam displays some of the blankets made by students at the school.
ELKINS -- COVID-19 may have halted any performances the talented students at the Old Brick Playhouse would be sharing with the community this holiday season, but some of those attending The New School OBP are giving back in a different way this Christmas.
Back in August, an educational program for middle and high school students began at the Old Brick, and participating students had projects to complete during the first semester of the school year. One project they decided to do was a coat-blanket drive in conjunction with Randolph County 4-H.
The project put the students on a mission to collect as many coats, hats, gloves and other articles of clothing to help keep those less fortunate warm this winter. Some of the students even made some blankets for the project, which will culminate in all the items that are collected being sent to Huntington for those in need.
"One of our mentors, John Prentice, an alumnus from the Old Brick, works at a drop-in center for homeless teens in Huntington," said Old Brick Executive Director Missy Armentrout McCollam. "He was telling our students about it and they were interested in how they could help. So they decided to do the drive to help out."
All of the items gathered for the coat-blanket drive will be picked up next week and distributed by Prentice.
Armentrout-McCollum said that some students also did a drive for the Randolph County Humane Society, in which they collected dog food, medicine, beds and other items for animals at the shelter.
Some of the staff members at the Old Brick also spread some holiday cheer of their own by recently performing some activities with the residents at the Elkins Rehabilitation & Care Center.
"We weren't allowed to go into the ERCC for some time because of COVID, but now we are, which is good," said Armentrout McCollam. "So we did some holiday festivities with residents there, like Santa Claus visiting and a snowball fight."
The Old Brick has a Christmas/holiday celebration planned for the New School students today.