Project Parrish Comes to Fruition at Sacred Heart Parish and School

On Friday May 13, a bench was dedicated to Mr. Paul Richard Parrish outside the Sacred Heart Parish and School. Mr. Parrish was a beloved teacher at the Sacred Heart School from 20152017 and touched the lives of many. However, the bench made in his memory is no ordinary bench. The students and staff at the school were able to collect over 100 pounds of plastic lids and caps to send to Green Tree Plastics in Evansville, Indiana where they were transformed into the bench.

All the students at the school helped with Project Parrish. High school students that formerly attended Sacred Heart school helped collect plastic and spread the word about the project. The fifth through seventh grade students sorted the plastic pieces so they could be packaged and shipped correctly. The school also raised the funds to transport the plastic to Indiana and to have the bench produced.

Mr. Parrish was loved by many. Those in attendance at the bench dedication included former students at Sacred Heart School, current staff members, and Mr. Parrish’s closest friends and family members. Both the family of Mr. Parrish and staff of the school made delighted remarks about how quickly the students were able to collect the plastic to make the bench.

Mr. Parrish’s daughter Katie spoke at the dedication. She informed the crowd that the bench was produced in the same town her father went to college in making Project Parrish even more special. Katie thanked Sacred Heart for working on the project in memory of her father. She said about the students at Sacred Heart School, “you guys are really such a special bunch.”

The ceremony concluded with a prayer and the official dedication by Katie Di Lullo after a rousing “drum-roll” by the students. Mr. Parrish left his mark on Sacred Heart School and Parish with his faith in God and love for his students. His memory will be preserved with the help of the special bench dedicated in his honor.

The full video of the bench dedication ceremony is available on the Shelby Daily Globe website.