Number of Participants: 30
Hours Donated: 2
Value of Time Served: $507
Event Type: Civic & Community
Sport: Schools
Date: January 17, 2017
Location:
70 South Woods Road Syosset
New York 11791, United States
About:
Village Elementary School in Syosset and Mercy First continued their partnership this holiday season through the school’s annual Sponsor-A-Child initiative, spearheaded by the Village School Student Council with support from the PTA’s Community Outreach committee. Village families, faculty and staff donated money to purchase toys to help make the holiday a happy one for 16 residents of Mercy First, a local organization that houses displaced children.
“It’s important to make these children feel like a part of the larger community” said Village Principal Jeffrey Kasper, whose school conducts multiple fundraisers year-round. “It’s also a valuable lesson of compassion and kindness for our students, who participate purely on a volunteer basis. Our gym is pretty packed so student participation is high.”
During the school’s annual holiday workshop held in the gymnasium, student council members and fifth graders (which included student-athletes) wrapped gifts and assembled them into 16 large bags along with cookies, candy and large stockings stuffed with much-needed personal care items. A few Mercy First residents and representatives stopped by the workshop to introduce students to three therapy dogs that serve as their valuable companions. Village students learned about the companionship that the dogs provide and also had the opportunity to interact with them. In keeping with another Village-Mercy First tradition, the 16 sponsored residents were presented with their gifts during a joint breakfast at Celebrity Diner held just before the holidays.
Photo Captions:
A: Village School student council members and fifth graders wrapped gifts and assembled large bags with gifts, cookies, candy and large stockings stuffed with much-needed personal care items for 16 Mercy First residents.
B: Village School students pack bags of candy for their friends at Mercy First.
Photos courtesy of the Syosset School District
