MORAN — The fun doesn’t end when the clock hits zero at Marmaton Valley High.
For the 21st straight year, a group of local volunteers is hosting a popular “Fifth Quarter” after Friday night home football and basketball games.
That’s when the setting shifts to Moran’s United Methodist Church for an assortment of games, food and other activities.
Terri Shaughnessy, one of the many hands who have kept the Fifth Quarter going since its inception, said the effort is to give students a fun and safe outlet to unwind after a busy week at school.
“The food’s a big part of it,” she said. “The kids are always hungry.”
Attendance typically ranges from 20 to 40 students each week, with the kickoff community bonfire at Moran City Park drawing the biggest crowd.
Last weekend’s bonfire attracted roughly 130 students and community members.
“The kids really appreciate it,” Shaughnessy said, “and we always have people willing to help.”
THE FIFTH Quarter’s origins date back to the 2003 school year, when a pair of longtime supporters, Judy Welch and Cheryl Welch, learned about a similar effort in Humboldt.
“We had a granddaughter and a couple of her friends asked if we’d sponsor a youth group,” Judy Welch recalled.
As they brainstormed, the Welches agreed the church would be the best setting.
“We didn’t have a clue what to do,” she laughed. “But we figured we might as well try it.”
The first excursions were modest affairs — some snacks and a game or two — but as word spread, attendance grew.
So did the helpers.
Shaughnessy was among those who was on board from the start.
