Volunteers needed for upcoming Reality Store event

Volunteers are needed for the upcoming Reality Store project, set for April 8 at the Greene County Cooperative Extension Service community building at the fairgrounds.

The 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. annual event needs about 45 volunteers.

"We are inviting individuals and businesses to participate in the annual event. Reality Store is celebrating 16 years of educating students about the real world of income and bills," said Dianne Langer, who is a member of the Greene County Alliance for Networking and Growth (GCA), the organization that is coordinating the event. "This year we are inviting the public schools, Greene Academy, the Christian schools, and home schoolers to attend this event."

GCA committee member Beth Burcham, of Bloomfield, added, "As always, we welcome both past and new volunteers to participate in this great day of learning for Greene County students."

Volunteers will needed to staff the booths from 8 a.m.

This year's Reality Store is being underwritten by Southwest Indiana Methamphetamine Alliance. It will assist with a light breakfast and lunch for the volunteers, according to Langer.

The function of the event is simple -- to prepare the young students to make educational choices that translate into wages.

The Reality Store is also intended to provide the students with the first-hand experience of managing a paycheck.

Each student will come to the "mock store" with a checkbook that has one month's salary based on their occupation interest.

"They will be given a martial status and number of children. Some will be given (mock) newborn babies as they enter the event as a surprise," Langer explained.

Students will move through various "store front" stations to purchase cars, insurance, living accommodations, day care, groceries, entertainment and other everyday expenses. The students will make selections based on higher, medium and lower prices for the items they purchase.

The task at hand is to be able to complete the tour through the variety of stations and still have money left at the end of the "mock month." The students will also be presented "life-like" obstacles like unexpected medical bills or dental expenses, auto repairs, income tax mistakes or higher than expected utility bills.

The Reality Store is actually the culmination of some behind-the-scenes classroom work done by the participating schools which familiarized the students with career choices, educational requirements, wages and other factors.

Career choices and wages at the Reality Store are directly linked to the student's classroom standing -- which stresses the importance of doing well in the classroom if they expect to earn the larger salaries in later life.

The occupations range from hair dressers to electrical engineers to social workers to medical personnel.

"At the end of their experience many students say that they were unaware of the amount of money it takes to live. Some even comment that they are rethinking their choice of occupations. I have seen one student change her mind from hairdresser to finishing her four-year degree at a university this year. Reality Store makes an impact upon students lives," Langer stated.

If someone is interested in knowing more about the Reality Store or in volunteering, call 384-1639.