| Statesville Interact Students Memorialize Friend by Writing a Book |
Five students from the Interact club at Statesville High School, were the guest speakers at a recent breakfast meeting of The Rotary Club of Statesville/Fourth Creek.
The girls are all also members of Girl Scout Troop 10502, and were former dear friends of the late Abbey Tsumas, a fellow Interact student who died at age sixteen in a car accident two years ago. The five friends have recently written and published a book entitled Walking with Grace to memorialize their everlasting friendship with Abbey. The book was illustrated by one of the girls, Addie McElwee, and was written under the mentoring hand of local author Hunter Darden. Proceeds from sales of the book go to the Abigail Grace Tsumas Memorial Foundation, and are channeled to "Grace for Pets," a local organization that helps animals in need, which was inspired by Abbey's love of dogs and other animals. Shown from left to right are Kathryn Palmes, Addie McElwee, Marian Rushton, Ashlee Perry, and Cassie Wodecki. The Statesville/Fourth Creek club sponsors the Interact club at Statesville High and four other schools in the county. (Story and photo courtesy of Evelyn Funderburke) |