Holy Cross students build platforms for disabled hunters

TOWN OF SCOTT - A class of eighth graders at a Green Bay area school is teaming up with Wisconsin Public Service to help the handicapped.

Students at Holy Cross School are building portable decks for disabled hunters.

The decks are being assembled now and will be used during the next disabled hunting season.

Twenty eighth-grade students from Holy Cross School are hard at work.

"We're building stands for handicapped hunters," said Joe Cherney, Holy Cross 8th grade student.

Three stands are under construction. For this project experience isn't necessary.

"It's definitely the first time I've done this, but it's really fun because we get to work together for a good cause," said Macey Vandenmeerendonk, Holy Cross 8th grade student.

The cause is part a partnership between the school and Wisconsin Public Service.

"The kids, to their credit, they came up with over $500 for the materials, and of course today we're working with them to give them some life skills in helping us to construct the decks," said Greg Egtvedt, WPS environmental manager.

The decks are slated to be put to use in a zone for disabled hunters by the Petenwell dam, near Necedah, in central Wisconsin.

Sawing, drilling and more. The students turned workers say the on-the-job training can go a long way.

"It's part of team-building and we're just able to learn about different skills, drilling and skills that may be useful later in life, for building stuff that we could do at home," said Cherney.

"Oh yeah, just to help. People get to do something that they want to do in their life, just to help them in life, that would be awesome to do," said Beaux Myers, Holy Cross 8th grade student.

"It's just a great service project we're able to do. To watch these hunters' faces light up when they're able to do something that they have, when they're not normally able to do it. It's great," said Cherney.

"For this particular event, our disabled hunt, they're needed and they will be used and I know that he hunters very much appreciate the effort," said Egtvedt.

Monday's construction will be short-lived.

The hunting decks will be taken apart and sent to central Wisconsin in a couple of days.

The deer hunt there is scheduled for October 12 through 14.