Service Learning Events
The Service Learning Committee is hard at working putting together monthly service opportunities for our Pierce Downer Students and their Families! Every activity requires an adult chaperone. Keep coming back here to find information and registration for every event. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Henrikson at kel624@gmail.com or become a subscriber and go to https://fs22.formsite.com/dgforms/form8/index.html and fill out the form.
SLC Previous Events…
Trick-or-Treating for a Cause – October 26, 2018. We had 9 Pierce Downer students put huge smiles on seniors’ faces while they played bingo with the resident at Lexington Healthcare in Lombard. See the attached pictures.
Watts of Love – August 31, 2017 students volunteered at Watts of Love, a local organization that provides solar lights to people around the globe who are in poverty. This batch of lights was going to Texas for victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Ronald McDonald House Event: Cookie Baking and Tour – June 13, 2017
Ten PD students baked cookies for patients and their families at Hines VA Hospital Complex near Loyola in Maywood. They also took a tour of the facility and learned how the facility is funded and what it provides to families in need. One way our school can help Ronald McDonald Houses is by collecting pop tabs which will raise money for the houses. Be sure to bring in your soda can pop tabs in to the school office!! Click here to help.
Augie’s Drive for Supplies – June 17
Supplies for the Ronald McDonald House and baked treats for the bake sale were dropped off at Augie’s house by many Pierce Downer families and others in and around our community. Click here to see event details.
Feed My Starving Children – July 18, 2017
Twenty-five members of the Pierce Downer family hand-packed rice, soy, dried vegetables and a nutritionally complete blend of vitamins and minerals into bags which are then sealed, boxed, placed on pallets and shipped to FMSC’s incredible partners working hard to reach the neediest children around the world. The pallet from July 18 was shipped to Haiti. If this is an activity you would like to do with your family, you can sign up on your own at this website www.fmsc.org. Just pick a date and time slot and register – it’s that easy!
Summer Beach Clean-up and BBQ in Union Pier, Michigan – August 7, 2017
If you are an SLC subscriber, you were notified over the summer about the beach clean-up. Eight students and their families filled 2 garbage bags full of trash and debris (lots of solid pieces of styrofoam) that landed on the sand at Union Pier.
Sharing Connection Drive and Tour – April 27 (Drive during Open House) and May 10 (Tour)
We packed over 25 buckets with cleaning supplies which will be provided to families in need. The informative tour taught students the basic concept of sharing items that are no longer needed because there is someone who can use your unwanted items. Neighbors helping neighbors by sharing!
Autism Awareness Month – April 2017
SLC wants to share this educational video with you and your family! “Just Like You – Autism” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0w6carvS8k is a MidAmerica Emmy award winning video that was created to call our communities, our kids and the world to learn, understand and accept those living with autism.
Feed My Starving Children – March 2, 2017
We had about 18 Pierce Downer students and family members volunteer their time for this great event! You can see our students, in the photos below, hard at work filling the food packets for needy children in Nicaragua. Our group contributed to the 30,000 total meals that were packed that night by all the groups in attendance. Go to www.fmsc.org to learn more about this incredible organization!
Valentine Event at Local Nursing Home – Feb. 13, 2017
We had approximately 15 students and family members volunteer their time to make Valentine cards and crafts with a group of older adults at Lexington Nursing Care Center in Lombard. The students were able to spend time chatting with the residents while making crafts together. They also gave out Valentine treat bags to the residents and staff afterwards. The success of this event was summed up by one resident who exclaimed, “This event really made my day!”
Kindness Pouches – February/March 2017
The Service Learning Committee was proud to partner with Student Council for this event. We supported them in collecting food and comfort items for packets to be handed out to homeless individuals in the local community. The items collected included: socks, hand warmers, granola bars, trail mix, and chapstick. The students have assembled the packets in preparation for distribution.
Blessings in a Backpack Event
January 25, 2017
A group of Pierce Downer students packed 300 backpacks with food for students in need within District 58. The backpacks were later distributed to the students throughout the district. This overall mission of the “Blessings in a Backpack” program is to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry. The non-profit organization is currently feeding over 89,000 children throughout the country. You can find out more about this program on their website: www.blessingsinabackpack.org.
PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) at St. Mary’s in Downers Grove
January 6, 2017
There were 11 Pierce Downer students (plus parents) who helped serve food and drinks to 70 guests and also washed dishes. The meal (which included soup, salad, drinks, and desserts) was donated by 17 Pierce Downer families.
West Suburban Community Food Pantry/ Toy Drive
December 14, 2016
Pierce Downer students and families responded generously to the food and toy drive by donating over 120 pounds of food and 30 bags of toys. The food collected will provide approximately 100 meals, and the toys spread holiday cheer to some of the children who receive food though the food pantry program. We also had over 50 students and family members attend the tour of the facility and help stock shelves with food and toys.
Other December SLC Events
Pierce Downer students and families displayed an overwhelming response to the December Adopt-A-Family program sponsored by the SLC. Nearly every item on the wish list was donated! All the gifts went to local families in need.
Also, a group of families braved the cold weather to spread holiday cheer by going door-to-door singing Christmas carols in the Pierce Downer neighborhood!
Lekotek Holiday Party in Lincoln Park Neighborhood – December 10, 2016Four Pierce Downer Students attended the Lekotek Holiday party and ran a craft station for 60 children with disabilities. They helped the children make snowflake ornaments. For more information about Lekotek go to www.lekotek.org.
Wellness House Tour – November 18, 2016
Twenty-one Pierce Downer Students attended the Wellness House tour and information session!!! They learned about the supportive programs the organization offers to those families affected by cancer. The kids were all engaged throughout the session and at the end of the experience made ‘gratitude cards’ for those members of the community that take advantage of the services. What an enriching experience for all. Check out the attached photos!
Veteran’s Day Thank You Cards – November 10, 2016
Our committee worked with Mr. Sisul to have students at Pierce Downer make thank you cards for Veterans during a recent indoor recess session. Seventy wonderful cards made by Pierce Downer students were delivered to the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital for Veterans’ Day. They were distributed by the hospital staff to Veterans receiving care at the hospital. The students and teachers did a great job of supporting this effort to honor our country’s Veterans!
Trick-or-Treating for a Cause – October 29, 2016
Nineteen Pierce Downer students headed over to Lexington Healthcare and put huge smiles on seniors’ faces while they played bingo with the residents. See the attached picture for a sneak peak. Please look out for information about the November Service Opportunities you will be able to sign up for soon.
