Marcus Hijkoop
Reporter & Website Manager
Rather than the typical mother-daughter charity league that can be found throughout the country, the Service League of Boys (SLOBs) of New Canaan is comprised of sons and parents of both sexes. Equally unique, SLOBs’ board of representatives is made up of both adolescents and adults, where sons and parents share leadership positions and attend meetings together.
“The board members are really the boys. They run the organization and the meetings. It’s different from other organizations because we teach them how to do it themselves,” Cindy Charas, Vice President of Philanthropy for SLOBs, said.
Sophomore Duke Repko, Assistant Vice President of Philanthropy for SLOBs, agreed. “Our parents provide ideas and encourage us to speak out at meetings, and from there on we govern ourselves,” he said.
Student members, who are required a minimum of ten hours of service per year, must be a male student at NCHS and must join with at least one of their legal guardians, who are required to work at least four hours of service. In this way, parents with full time jobs are able to join with their son(s) without making too large of a commitment.
“There are more fathers participating now then there were in 2006,” Jeff Altman, Vice President of Hours for SLOBs, said. “It’s around 65% female parents and 35% male parents and is steadily moving closer towards 50:50.”
Since its introduction in 2004, SLOBs has worked to incorporate community service while strengthening parent-son relationships, regardless of which parent you join with. “Whether you join with your mother or father, the overall experience doesn’t change,” senior Joe Costigan, President of SLOBs, said. “A lot of times you see both the mother and father involved, which is great.”
SLOBs was originally created by NCHS parents, Janice Luddy and Mary Beth Fessler, who were both members of National Charity League (NCL). However, since NCL is strictly a mother-daughter organization, the two proposed a similar program that was open to male students, as well as their mothers and/or fathers. “Girls have always been known to be part of service leagues, but SLOBs makes it easier for the boys to get out there,” Ms. Charas said.
The newly founded club attracted over one hundred student members within its first year, and currently has over two hundred and eighty members. This steady rise in participants can be credited to the excellent reputation SLOBs gained in its early years, due to a wide range of philanthropic activities.
“This year, SLOBs has already committed over 1,600 hours to over fifty philanthropic organizations around the area,” Mr. Altman said.
These hours have been contributed mostly to organizations within Fairfield County, such as the New Canaan Exchange Club, the New Canaan Nature Center, the New Canaan Inn, and the New Canaan Food Bank. “The ‘Meals on Wheels’ program is what really got me into SLOBs,” Duke said. “We went around town and brought prepared meal to senior citizens.”
While community service is the main intention of SLOBs, members feel that enhancing the parent-son relationship is also vital to the organization. “My dad and I have spent a lot more time together and have learned a lot about each other,” Joe said. “It has really brought us together and has been essential to my experience with SLOBs.”
SLOBs’ volunteers helped decorate and set up tables, chairs, and a stage for live music and Irish step dancing at the St. Patrick’s Day Fundraiser Dinner held at the Outback Teen Center on March 10.
Photos by Marcus Hijkoop
