Catherine Burges, News Editor
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, many scramble to participate in the spirit of giving through volunteer work, donations, and charity work. However, due to COVID-19 organizations this year adapted to make their charity events more contactless, while still maintaining a good amount of participation. Many opportunities have changed, and organizations have had to be creative.
Student Coalition Advisor Priscilla Schulz helps plan Toys for Tots, the annual charity event run by StuCo. “The Student Coalition will be collecting money and toys through the Marines Toys for Tots program, and they will deliver the toys to children who might not otherwise receive presents for the holidays,” Ms. Schulz said. “All toys donated should be new, unwrapped, appropriate for children between the ages of 6 months and 12 years old.”
The collection of toys will begin the week of November 30 and go through Thursday, December 10. Boxes will be set up in the main office or toys can be dropped off to any Student Coalition advisor. Ms. Schulz also mentioned that this year, due to COVID-19, StuCo cannot go around and collect cash donations, so any monetary donation should be done through a student’s My School Bucks account.
Additionally, each grade level for Student Coalition will lead a service project as the year goes on. “We have a wait-and-see attitude, and right now we are going to move forward because it is important we take action during these times,” Ms. Schulz said.
Student Body President Alex Kurz spoke about how excited she was for the Toys for Tots food drive. “It is something we do every year, and I really hope we have a good outcome. During COVID-19, communities are more desperate than ever during this holiday season,” she said.
Alex is also the Senior Class President for her National Charity League (NCL) chapter. For Thanksgiving, her class volunteered their time baking pies for their pillar organization, the Domestic Crisis Violence Center. Alex works closely with the organization and wants to raise awareness about their needs and domestic violence in the New Canaan community. “Our community has so much to offer, yet many aren’t aware of the hardships the people who are supported by the center have gone through,” she said.
She also said that from 3-4pm on Wednesday afternoons, students can go to the Domestic Violence Center and hang out with kids while their parents are speaking to a therapist or a counselor. She hopes that despite COVID, there will be more opportunities to get involved soon. “Our class really loves the pillar of domestic violence and giving back to this community,” she said. “It’s really sad we haven’t been able to do the same things as past years, but we are happy to be doing as much as we can.”
The senior NCL class is also hosting their annual “secret santa” philanthropy project organized by senior Molly Murphy. “In the past we have hosted a holiday bizarre where people donate items such as towels, deodorant, shampoo, pajamas and other essential items that many wouldn’t think are important,” said Alex. “But you have to keep in mind the extremity of the situation these people are in. They are husbands, wives and children who have just left an abuser. They have nowhere to go, they don’t have a credit card, they don’t have keys or a car, they don’t have anywhere to shower and don’t have anything to shower with.” However, due to COVID-19 this year’s holiday bizarre will look more like a secret Santa. They will instead be assigned a family to get present for and receive checklists for things they want. “For example, the list will say we have a 12 year old boy who loves football and hockey and wants a Jes Jersey,” Alex said. “we go through and we give them a present that is specified to them and makes their christmas more personal which is something really important.”
Co-president of Charity Link Eleanor Lapin spoke about what action the club has taken this year to help the community. They hosted a Coffee House Virtual Charity Event in which students could submit videos of themselves singing, dancing, playing an instrument or showing off a talent. “All dontations went to the suicide prevention hotline,” Eleanor said. “We got a lot of participation and it is a great way to continue our philanthropy programs in a virtual setting.” Charity Link also helped support the Walter Stewart’s Market thanksgiving food drive and will be assisting the Student Coalition in their annual Toys for Tots collection. The club said that they hope to do more charity events in the spring.
Sophomore Boy Scout leader Olly Gray said his Boy Scout troop will host a charity program with the patrol projects.“In every scouting term, each patrol in the troop has to plan a project that will help the community.”
Olly also spoke about how he is going to begin working on his Eagle Scout project over the summer. “This year I helped build a pathway in a park that was overgrown and not safe for people to walk on. Last year I helped to clean up a cemetery and over the summer I built a campfire and benches for another small park,” he said. “These projects usually require a ton of work and time, at least 100 hours of planning. I hope that I can complete everything next year.”
Usually, the Boy Scouts do a large gift drive for the holidays and spend a night in New York City where they make breakfast for the homeless. While that is not possible, they are still going to push to have their annual clothing drive. “As of now there aren’t a whole lot of opportunities created by COVID-19 for our troop, but it has definitely shifted our focus to more local charity work,” Olly said. Even if we don’t have direct contact with the people we are helping, we are still doing something.”
Junior Alyssa Mulligan has been a member of Girl Scouts for ten years with her mother serving as leader of the troop. “Prior to COVID-19 I had become very involved in setting up and sustaining a Daisy and Brownie troop for DOMUS Chester Addison Center for kids in Stanford,” Alyssa said. “We had organized an international weekend encampment with donated supplies and troop assisted cultural activities with international foods. I served the DOMUS Troops three to four times a month trying to mentor the girls until COVID-19 hit.” Despite this setback, Alyssa worked with her mother to continue community service for Girl Scouts, such as getting involved in making masks and lap blankets for seniors and doing Zoom activities to help those in need of interaction.
“Since in person meetings were not permitted, I offered my services as a Girl Scout to assist the youth ministry. I then began to provide 50 sandwiches weekly since March 2020 for New Covenant House as the demand in food has increased for the indigent and homeless,” she said. “My true calling has been with the Pediatric Group making Art Escape Boxes filled with activities, Birthday Brigade boxes filled with birthday party supplies and small presents, filling numerous backpacks with school supplies and writing pen pals to students.”
With thanksgiving approaching, Alyssa recognized that the need in her community would be greater than ever with these uncertain times. “I began to participate in the usual food bank drives and turkey collections.With Christmas approaching, many of us will select a large family in need to buy, wrap, and distribute presents to,” she said. “Being a Girl Scout has become part of how I define myself. Looking beyond my own needs, offering service, and leading is an integral part of my life.”
