PRHS JOOI club provides community service opportunities and haven for students

[dropcap size=small]T[/dropcap]hose looking for happy, welcoming people who also have a strong dedication to their community need look no further than the PRHS JOOI club. JOOI club, which is part of the larger Optimist International, a volunteer organization, meets on Thursdays at lunch in room 1026, the room of AP Literature and Honors English teacher Aaron Cantrell.

“Come to JOOI club on Thursdays, it’s a lot of fun!” said JOOI Club president and senior Graham Farrell.

Farrell originally joined JOOI club because he had a good friend in the club, and he was smitten with it. “I love what happens at JOOI club…it’s a place where you can make friends and excel in community service,” Farrell said. JOOI club has monthly events for feeding the homeless and has had or is planning fundraisers for the Optimist Club and the PRHS Choir. The club also helps teach its members skills involved with fundraiser organization, such as making business calls and hiring vendors, according to Farrell.

In addition to being a “community service oriented” club, JOOI club is also “a lot of fun,” Farrell said. Farrell elaborated he and his Vice President, Cassidy LeClair, try to “creates a comfortable environment” for its members,which average around 20 per meeting. JOOI club’s members can “feel safe” and know that their opinions are valued at the club, according to Farrell.