The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
COMMUNITY DAY HIGHLIGHTS TALENTS
VERONA, N.Y. >> Ever since he was 10 years old, Oneida High School student Josh Allen has been fascinated with transforming everyday objects into lights.
One day, he walked into his father’s workshop with a stick and told him he wanted to turn it into a light. A couple years later after making a stick light, he made a hanging colander light for his mom and a light for his grandfather.
“He can make anything into a light,” said younger brother Drew Allen, 10, a student at Durhamville Elementary School. “Like, he turned an old Tonka dump truck into a light. He’s turned a Hess truck and a working radio, too.”
“Last summer, I decided to make a business,” Josh said. “Sept. 4 was the one year anniversary.”
That business, Custom Lights by John, was one of more than 180 exhibits Saturday at the VVS Community Day at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit along with local organizations, vendors, businesses, community and volunteer services.
“The point of Community Day is to take amoment and bring everybody from VVS together,” said Superintendent Martha Group. “All the aspects come together in a way so that we can share some fellowship, camaraderie and to have an opportunity to give back.”
Drew said he likes building stuff as well, but not like his brother.
“I don’t like working with electricity, I like wood and nails,” Drew said. “I’ve built stuff, but not really good stuff. I’m still learning.”
Last year was Josh’s first day setting up at Community Day and this year, he had a number of lights for sale, from a napkin dispenser light to one made from vinyl records; something his brother Drew helped him make and build.
“Just walking around for Community Day, I wanted to try it out for myself and set up,” Josh said.
Josh said he hasn’t give a lot of thought to what he wants to do the future, but he’s thought about either being a teacher or electrician. But Josh does know he’ll be coming to Community Day next year.
This year, thanks to local bands and musicians, Community Day was host to live music, played by the VVS Guitar Club, Matt Chase and Thunder Canyon, and Tompkins Drive through the day.
Helping make Community Day safe was the Madison-Oneida Criminal Justice
program directing traffic and helping park vehicles. Group said with the middle school parking lot closed, it could have lead to challenges.
“It doesn’t matter what the weather is to the Criminal Justice program, they have a positive attitude, they take their job seriously and it gives people peace of mind,” Group said.
Part of Community Day is spending time together; another is to show what the community has to offer; and part is to collect things to give to those in need.
“And a big part is to just have a good time and remember who we are as VVS,” Group said.