{delve} By Erica Swanson
photo by kelci davis
T
Rallying for a special Spartan Students, staff create cards, send tweets for unique former staff member
file photo by kelci davis
Harold Meyer and Gregory Lowery sweep up a hall together. Harold served on theduring custotheFHC. 2009He school dial staff for and Greg year.worked They were Lowery, above together on the same team for two years where Harold for two years, always made sure everyone was always making entertained. sure to have fun.
staff reporter
he thoughtful cards circulating through the building and the retweets across schoool are some of the efforts students, faculty, and members of the community are taking to show their support for a very special Spartan. This special man is Harold Meyer, known by faculty and students alike as simply, Harold. Harold gave his support to the school through a variety of means from attending games for a multitude of sports to helping students. He served as part of the custodial staff before retiring in 2010. The news of Harold’s illness came to the forefront when, in late July, a letter was sent out explaining that Harold was diagnosed with kidney cancer in January and the cancer had spread, making him very ill. It included his address for anyone interested in sending a card to him. After hearing the news via Twitter, senior Breanna O’Neal decided to start a card for him. “He made a really big impact on our school and I just thought it would be very kind if we could do something to impact how he was feeling and doing and hopefully just make him feel a little more at [ease],” O’Neal said. According to O’Neal, the special attribute that set Harold apart was his genuine friendliness towards everyone in our school. “No matter if he knew you or not, he would always say hi to you, and he was just one of those people that no matter what was going on in his life, he always had a smile on his face,” O’Neal said. This smile extended from the actual school setting to out of school games. Senior Karrin Nettles, a hockey cheerleader, echoes the feelings of O’Neal. “He was very supportive of the hockey program and hockey cheer program, coming to every game and making an effort to show support and cheer us on,” Nettles said. No matter where the games were, Harold was there. “If it was a game that was far away, he would drive out there, even when we went to places as far as Afton,” Nettles said. Custodian and former co-worker, Mr. Greg Lowery shares the same thoughts of the two seniors and also loved Harold’s good sense of humor. “Harold was very, very caring and a really kind soul towards about everyone and was genuinely concerned about the children and the staff,” Lowery said. “ And most of all funny. Always trying to make sure everyone was entertained.” Lowery’s favorite attribute of Harold was his stories. “He always had very unique stories at least once a day,” Lowery said. “For the two years I worked with Harold, it was Tom Burrows and I. And we were a very good team. Harold always made sure we would have fun.”
fhctoday.com | delve
}3