Members of the American Legion (AL) Auxiliary and AL Post 82 have been vital in the planning of the Military Extravaganza planned for April 9, 2017, at Shelby High School. Pictured are Club Miracle officers along with AL Auxilary and AL Post members. Fron

April 9, 2017, will be an exciting day for area men and women who have served or who are currently serving in the military. On that date, Shelby High School's Club Miracle is hosting a Military Extravaganza that is sure to be a day to remember.
The event began as the brainchild of five friends at Shelby High School (SHS). Last year, those friends dreamed of starting an organization that would serve the community, help the homeless, aid less-fortunate students and honor the military. From these ideas, Club Miracle was born, and the organization sponsored a number of events during the 2015-2016 school year.
With the beginning of the new school year last fall, Brandon Stearns, now 17 and a senior at SHS, found himself as the sole remaining founder of the club. But while he may be the only original member, he managed to attract 13-14 others to join in to help make the organization's dreams a reality.
This past Christmas the group served the homeless with a meal and donations of clothing through Central United Methodist Church in Shelby.
And now Club Miracle is planning to honor members of the military with a day to remember.
"We tried to do an event like this last year, but we didn't have enough time to plan, and it didn't go well, so we started planning last summer for this year's event," says Stearns.
Plans for the day so far include a flag-folding ceremony for those who have died, a shaking of hands ceremony for veterans and active-duty soldiers, special guest speakers, military trucks, and a dedication service led by city officials along with city and county police officers. Inflatables and other kid-friendly activities are also scheduled.
A catered meal will be available beginning at 2 p.m. provided by Fatz restaurant. The cost of the meal will be $7 for military members and $10 for non-military attendees. The ceremonies and speeches will take place during and after the meal. Then from 6-9 p.m. a dedication concert will take place in SHS's Malcolm Brown Auditorium.
Tickets for the meal are available for purchase at Medical Arts Pharmacy, 108 E. Grover St., Shelby, and at the Neal Senior Center, 100 T.R. Harris Dr., Shelby.
"We just feel that a lot of the members of the military don't get thanked for their service," says Stearns. "We just want to give them a big 'thank you' because without them we wouldn't have the freedom that we have."
Stearns and Club Miracle are still looking for donors and sponsors for the event. Both monetary and in-kind donations are needed. Stearns is also hoping to hold a blood drive at the event, and he needs 20 people to commit to donating in order to schedule the drive. To register for the blood drive or for more information about being a corporate or individual donor or sponsor for the event, contact Stearns at bstearns78@outlook.com or by calling 704-692-3103.

By April Hoyle Shauf

Special to Shelby Shopper & Info