Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Residents give back to honor King’s legacy
WEST CHESTER » Monday is more than just a rare weekday off from work for many.
As part of the National Day of Service, hundreds of Chester County residents will be volunteering on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
More than 100 volunteers will work at the Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children’s emergency shelter on Market Street.
The organization houses homeless families, giving them something to lean on when times get tough.
Seventy five students and 13 adults from Church Farm School will join members of Boy Scout Troop 6, the Grove UMC youth group and Vanguard employees to perform a heavy-duty spring cleaning.
Church Farm School Spanish teacher Rabi Young said that students learn about both giving and receiving.
“We make sure that our students are not only enriched by giving to others but also learn from their experiences,” Young said.
Students will celebrate the holiday for most of the upcoming week.
James Conrad, service coordinator of Boy Scout Troop 6, which meets at the Friends School, said the scouts have designed a plan to rehab, dust, sweep and clean floors.
“We like to expose them to many different organizations,” Conrad said.
Catherine Friedman is Friends Association’s executive director. The association hosts up to 30 families a year in six living units.
“For Friends Association, the volunteerism and donations allow us a fresh start for the year, reminding the families we serve that they are a part of a community that cares,” Friedman said.
Dishes will be removed from shelves, appliances yanked back from walls, minor repairs will be made and a living unit will be painted.
“It’s a white glove clean up,” Friedman said. “Every surface gets deeply cleaned.
“It’s a win-win for everyone, but especially for us.”
The Friends Association is the oldest child-welfare service organization in the state. It is the only shelter in West Chester where families are kept together and not separated by age.
“I can’t imagine how frightened a family would be when split from their children or spouse when looking for help,” said Jill Laufenberg, a neighbor to the shelter and Friends Association Volunteer Coordinator. “The comfort of knowing you can stay together brings these families to a warm, safe place.
“It is not only rich in history, but the shelter meets a critical need for the most vulnerable in our community.”
For more information, call 610-431-3598, ext. 205
Hillsdale Elementary Students Participate in Annual MLK Service Day Activity
Friday was a half-day for students in the West Chester Area School District, but some students at Hillsdale Elementary School stayed after school to lend a helping hand, all in the name of Dr. King.
About 40 students, ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade, volunteered their time and packed up gently used shoes for Soles4Souls and pet supplies for the Brandywine SPCA. Students also made Valentine’s Day cards for the Brandywine Hall Senior Center.
The Hillsdale PTO organizes the event, which is in its third year.
“We sent out a message to parents asking for gently used items, and we also asked for student and adult volunteers to help organize things and prepare the shoe donations for shipping,” said PTO co-chair Erin Rodgers. “We got a great response. We are very fortunate to live in such a caring community.”
MLK Day service projects are plentiful throughout the district, with students and their families along with staff members generously donating their time.
All West Chester Area School District schools are closed Monday, January 15, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.