So often I have written about wonderful individuals who consistently give of themselves through volunteering or donating the much needed money for organizations to help others. But it’s really something when those volunteers are students! Southlake Carroll students junior Ryan Dickey and senior Brittany Anderson are two of those wonderful individuals. With more than 800 hours between them, both of these outstanding students were recently honored with the 2008 Community Service Award for Carroll Senior High School.
Now to put this in perspective, if someone were to volunteer 10 hours each week, — remember that is 10 hours at a particular task, not counting commuting to and from where you are volunteering — their combined efforts would be equal to more than a year and a half worth of weeks. Personally, I find that amazing!
It’s important to mention that only community service hours turned in and approved by the CISD service board are considered for this annual award. Once that has taken place, a committee of senior citizens reviews all the applications and selected the recipients. Well done, Ryan and Brittany!
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If you want to gather your community service hours or simply want to get out there and make a difference in others’ lives here is a great opportunity.
Christmas is for Children and Altrusa DFW are beginning their 6th Annual School Supply drive which benefits the women and children supported by Christmas is for Children, Battered Women’s Foundation and Open Arms. I know you are probably thinking that we just finished one school year, but there are more than 350 students who are already in need for next year, and we are still in June. This need isn’t just to help out with a few pens and pencils; rather this is a huge endeavor to fill a huge need.
Today, it costs at least $25 to fill the basic school supplies need for an elementary student. Although $25 might not seem like such a great amount of money, if you have more than one student at home or if you are barely able to fill half of your gas tank each week, that $25 can mean the difference of whether you can get to work and back.
When you are out purchasing your groceries or at the local office supply store, just pick up an extra package of spiral notebooks [either wide or college ruled], pens [red, blue or black], pencils, colored construction paper, crayons [24 count], glue stick and glue bottles and such. Or shoot off a check to Altrusa International Foundation Inc. of DFW at P.O. Box 92163, Southlake, 76092.
Those wonderful folks over at Altrusa have really put their purchasing muscle to work and come up with a plan where a $10 donation will buy 100 spiral notebooks, a $25 donation will buy all the school supplies for one elementary student, and a $35 donation will buy the supplies plus the backpack.
For details, check their Web site, www.altrusadfw.com or contact Linda Pevone by e-mail at LindaLeona@aol.com or by phone at 817-337-9156.
Keep in mind, this isn’t just a Southlake, Colleyville or Grapevine issue, it is an everybody issue. All three of these charities reach out to our three cities.