Month: November 2018

Week 47. Holiday Luncheon

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November 20, 2018
with updates on December 14, 2018

For 40 years, on a special Friday in December, Lakehill Preparatory School continued a holiday tradition that remains in the hearts of attendees long after the pumpkin pie is finished.

This year’s Holiday Luncheon, held on December 14, brought 150 elderly residents from around east Dallas to the school’s main campus to share the spirit of the season with the Lakehill family.

The entire Upper School assisted in welcoming the seniors to the school. Each grade has progressively more complex responsibilities. Members of Lakehill’s senior class, along with their parents and class sponsors, joined forces with the entire Upper School to provide a memorable holiday experience for senior citizens. The senior class, along with their parents, hosted the luncheon feeding over 700 people throughout the day. While the senior citizens were eating, they were joined by Lower and Middle school students and entertained with various performances.

Juniors, dressed as elves, reindeer, and Santa and Mrs. Claus, visited with guests and posed for pictures. Sophomores served as photographers, giving guests a framed photo as they left the luncheon. Freshman decorated the Commons and hosted the guests for refreshments after their meal.

Students in all grade levels helped by donating the items that were used to fill the stockings that our Lower and Middle School Community Connections club members prepared for each guest. We spent several days organizing all the donations, sorting into categories, such as tissues, stationary, shampoo, and lotion, followed by several days stuffing each stocking with goodies. As each guest left the Luncheon, they received a poinsettia, the picture frame with their picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a stocking full of goodies.

The Holiday Luncheon is a wonderful tradition that truly reinforces the meaning of the holidays. Many of these guests are regular attendees who look forward to the luncheon every year. Tasty food, good music, and enjoyable conversations with the students seemed to get everyone in the holiday spirit.

Week 46: Trusted World

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November 12, 2018

During Week 46 of my 52 weeks of service, my family and I collected clothing items for Trusted World. We first learned about this organization through their Disaster Services program following Hurricane Harvey in 2017. From August through November, Trusted World sprang to the forefront of the relief effort, being named the charity to handle the donation management of Harvey relief in Dallas. Over 20,000 volunteers provided more than 45,000 hours to help sort, pack, load, and deliver supplies to the affected areas. We enjoyed working in their huge temporary warehouse space, sorting items that had been donated. During the 2017 hurricane season, over 13 million items were donated and processed, resulting in 2,700 pallets that were shipped to more than 20 different cities in two states and three territories.

In addition to their Disaster Services program, the primary goal of Trusted World is the collection and distribution of goods, such as food, clothing, and personal care items. They provide local non-profits with the resources they need, at no cost, to ensure their clients receive the necessary items promptly. They work closely with school counselors, social workers, police departments, and other nonprofits who serve the community.

The organization receives donations from all over North Texas. Item are inspected and sorted by volunteers, then placed into an inventory system for other nonprofits to order online. By providing these resources to other nonprofits at no charge, Trusted World eliminates their need to collect, sort, and process items, giving them more time to focus on their core missions.

Donations of gently used and new clothing, shoes, and new travel- to full-sized toiletries are always needed.

Items currently in demand include:

Men’s Pants, specifically waist size 32 or 34
Men’s Pajamas, all sizes
Men’s Belts, all sizes
Men’s Work Boots, all sizes
Boy’s Pajamas, large and XL
Girl’s Clothing (shirts, jeans, shorts), sizes 6-16
Boxed food (spaghetti, rice, mac & cheese)
Canned Meats
Canned Fruit
Canned Pasta
Rice
Individual size cookies, fruit chews, chips
Peanut Butter
Jelly/Jam
Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Deodorant

Find a donation drop-off location near you.

Volunteer opportunities are available at both Trusted World’s Allen Service Center and its Garland Service Center. With food and clothing donations received daily, volunteers are always needed to check for quality, sort, and inventory items. Volunteer hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and select evenings. Families are welcome. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have parent supervision.

Week 45. First Aid Kits for Brady Senior Services Center

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November 7, 2018

During my 45th week of service, I worked with my Lower School Community Connections members at Lakehill Preparatory School to create small first aid kits for senior citizens served by The Brady Program.

We first created “First Aid Kit” labels that volunteers attached to small Ziploc bags. They then fill edthe bags with antiseptic wipes, antibiotic cream, alcohol pads, gauze, and Band-Aids. We boxed up all the first aid kits – about 500 in total – and delivered them to Catholic Charities to distribute to those served by The Brady Program.

Catholic Charities Dallas (CCD) is a faith-based social service agency focused on improving the quality of life for people in need. Comprised of 17 individual programs serving the nine counties in North Texas, they help over 30,000 individuals annually to achieve stability and self-sufficiency through financial literacy, employment services, education, food programs, immigration legal services, refugee resettlement, disaster services, and permanent supportive housing.

Brady Senior Services aims to improve the health and wellness of senior citizens ages 60 and older. Services are designed to promote and support personal independence and emotional and physical well-being while recognizing individual dignity. The Brady Senior Services Center provides over 500 Dallas area seniors with daily meals, information and education, social activities, exercise classes, and access to medical care. With the Brady Program now housed at Marillac, seniors can take advantage of all of the services and activities available.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to visit the new offices for Catholic Charities when I delivered the first aid kits, and to later visit the Marillac Campus which now houses the Brady Program, and the CCD’s newly opened St. Jude Center which provides long-term housing to the chronically homeless.

Week 44. Trek for Tech

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November 3, 2018

When hundreds of people take to the streets for a good cause, a great deal can happen.

Lakehill Preparatory School‘s 20th Annual Trek for Tech, the Parent Faculty Club’s signature fall event, combined all the right elements: beautiful fall weather, two great races, dedicated sponsors, enthusiastic volunteers, and a raffle with fantastic prizes. The results were a great time for all who attended, and a lot of money raised to purchase new technology.

Students, families, and faculty members put their best foot forward in the one-mile Fun Run, while a large crowd hit the pavement for the 5K chip-timed race. Organizers report that 416 people registered for this year’s races, an increase over 2017. Over 50% of the student body participated in the event, an all-time high. The Trek Committee is still counting the monies raised through sponsorship, registration, and technology purchases, but are anticipating a record-breaking year.

Events like this one couldn’t happen without dedicated volunteers. There are so many ways to get involved as sponsors, organizers, course monitors, and committee members. Amazing companies, individuals, and families supported the race through underwriting and equipment purchases, and the faculty, National Junior Honor Society, and parent volunteers helped the event run smoothly.

Most school’s host events such as fun runs, auctions, and carnivals. Why not find one near you to volunteer your time and expertise?