Mrs. Lynda Oswald, a business teacher at North Augusta High School, helps organize student volunteers for a community event known as the North Augusta Tour of Homes.
“The North Augusta Christmas Tour of Homes is an annual community service event organized by the Beta Sigma Phi service sorority here in North Augusta. It is hoped that with much help from volunteers the sorority will have another successful Christmas Tour of Homes this year. Most of the proceeds from the Tour of Homes will be used to fund scholarships to North Augusta students with the balance going to North Augusta non-profit organizations. This tour would not be possible without the homeowners who open their homes for this annual event and without volunteers who work in these homes,” Mrs. Oswald says.
Pictured here is the Hammond house, which will be one of the homes toured in the Christmas Tour of Homes.
Photo Credit: Andrew Towner
North Augusta’s first tour of homes took place in December of 1988 and has continued since then. The Beta Sigma Phi organization has raised nearly 200 thousand dollars in total over the years that goes towards scholarships for North Augusta high school students. This tradition has become a very important event in North Augusta’s community.
Katie Beth Cannon, a NAHS senior and NA Tour of Homes volunteer, says “while working the North Augusta Tour of Homes, I read a sheet of paper provided by the homeowners that gives information about the specific room in the house I am in. I read this aloud to those on the tour, and after the first few minutes I often memorize the script and simply interact with those on the tour and help them to learn about both the house and the family that lives in it.”
Lia Murphy, another NAHS senior and NA Tour of Homes volunteer, says that she decided to volunteer because “(she) first learned about the Tour of Homes through Mrs. Oswald and Coach Norris while participating in FBLA and cheerleading. (She) was immediately interested and excited to volunteer! While volunteering, (she was) surrounded by many classmates, and (she got) to see people (she knew) that (were) touring. The Tour of Homes is a special event in North Augusta, and (she)wanted to be involved!”
This year is the 33rd annual tour and will take place on December 3rd and 4th. Friday evening will be a candlelight tour from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The tour continues Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There are five beautiful homes this year for residents of the community to enjoy visiting.
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