Everyday Heroes: Student's caring corner idea realized at STC-North Campus in Frackville

Nov. 23—School nurse Liz Wolff was surprised when a student, Gabe Heffelfinger, approached her about creating a caring corner at Schuylkill Technology Center-North Campus in Frackville.

"I thought it was extraordinary that a teenage boy would come up with an idea like that," Wolff said. "It's not something you hear every day."

Wolff immediately approved, and Gabe's Caring Corner was born last year.

Outside of Wolff's office, there is a shelving unit with toothbrushes, deodorant, body wash, detergent, personal hygiene products and school supplies. Nearby, another unit contains jeans, socks and assorted clothing.

In the privacy of a secluded place, without asking, students are welcome to take any of the items in the caring corner free of charge.

For perceiving a need, and doing something about it, Gabriel L. Heffelfinger has been named the Republican Herald's 2022 Everyday Hero.

Mom's influence

A senior in the school's masonry program, Gabe credits his mother with inspiring the creation of the caring corner.

"My mom's a Girl Scout leader, and she posted something on Facebook about starting a caring corner," said Gabe, 17, a student at Williams Valley High School. "I thought that's something I could do at my school."

Krystal Heffelfinger, a leader in Troop 31278 in Tower City, said her son took $100 out of his savings account to start the caring corner.

"He took the idea," she said, "and ran with it."

Once the word got around, Gabe said, people he didn't even know began donating items and contributing money to the project.

Wolff said the idea has caught on at STC-South Campus in Mar Lin, where a caring corner has been established.

The North Campus has a clothing room for students, Wolff said, but students have to request to use it.

The beauty of Gabe's Caring Corner, she said, is its anonymity.

"Students don't have to ask," she said. "They can just take anything they want."

'Truly impressive'

Gabe admits he gets a good feeling about helping other students, but he's reluctant to take credit.

In fact, he didn't even want it to be named in his honor.

"I suggested that it be named The Blessing Table, and keep my name out of it," he said. "It's not about what I get out of it; it's what everybody else gets out of it."

Chris Groody, assistant director of career and technical education, said the school strives to build character in its students.

"The empathy and understanding that Gabe has shown with his project is truly impressive," Groody said. "It underscores what we're trying to develop in our students — to build qualities that make them a well-rounded person."

Naturally, Krystal Heffelfinger is proud of her son, but says creating the caring corner has taught him a valuable life lesson.

The fact that so many people have been so supportive of Gabe's Caring Corner, she said, has had a profound effect on her son's outlook.

"It has taught him that there are good people in this world," she said. "He hadn't seen that before, and it has made him want to volunteer even more."

Gabe is off to Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology next year, where he will major in masonry. Who knows, maybe there'll be a Gabe's Caring Corner there, too.

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007