After weeks of preparation, Luke and I successfully organized the event to create blankets and snack packs for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Indiana. To our surprise, around 50 student volunteers participated in our service learning opportunity. The students assisted in providing the RMHC of Central Indiana with over 15 blankets and 80 snack packs. Luke and I have yet to deliver the items to the RMHC in Indianapolis; however, we have made arrangements to use class time to do so. Luke and I are more than satisfied with the outcome of our project. The opportunity to make an impact on the residents at the Ronald McDonald House has inspired me to continue working to serve my community.
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Luke and I have completed the final preparations for our project benefiting the families at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Indiana. After receiving the complete order of fleece material from Jo-Ann Fabric Stores, Luke and I spent class time trimming the material into the appropriate sizes. A few students from our Service Learning class contributed to the process. Next, I created an Excel document in which students could indicate their interest in volunteering. Luke and I composed an email including the link to the Excel sheet and sent it to various club leaders around the school. Mrs. Clayton, the head of National Honor Society, responded to our email quickly and directed the message to NHS members. Likewise, Mrs. Seifert, head of Science National Honor Society, sent a message containing information about our project to members. Luke and I also decided to email Mr. Burk and request an announcement on NP120, New Palestine's weekly news update. Finally, we designed fliers to place around NPHS in order to raise awareness for our project. Luke and I can't wait to see the impact our project will have on the children and families at the Ronald McDonald House.
My partner and I have made considerable progress on our project benefitting the Ronald McDonald House of Central Indiana. We did not receive a grant from Learningtogive.org; therefore, Luke and I completed a form to obtain grant money provided by GenerationOn. While we awaited a response from GenerationOn, we coordinated with Patty Glover, the treasurer at New Palestine High School. Ms. Glover and Mr. Large agreed to allow Luke and I to use Service Learning funds to financially support our project. Establishing a limit of $250, Luke and I used the funds to buy various fleece fabrics. Luckily, JOANN Fabrics was offering customers a considerable discount on fabric. The fall sale discounted fleece fabric by 50%. Overall, Luke and I purchased enough fleece fabric to make about 18 blankets for the RMHC. A few weeks after submitting the form to GenerationOn, Mr. Large received word that our grant had been approved. Luke and I decided to use the $250 grant to purchase snack items. Using class time, we went to Walmart and bought $175 worth of crackers, cookies, and other snacks. The items will be used by volunteers to make snack packs for the RMHC. Luke and I are unsure what the remaining $75 will be used for. Now that we have supplies, we will contact administrators to reserve the NPHS cafeteria for our project. Luke and I are also planning to generate an Excel document to make it easier for students to sign up for volunteering. I am beyond excited to see the final outcome of a project that my partner and I are so passionate about.
My partner and I were introduced to the Ronald McDonald House Charities over the summer. American Family Insurance teamed up with the RMHC of Central Ohio for their One Saturday Event. The One Saturday Event is a day dedicated to supporting local communities and organizations. The Ronald McDonald House is an nonprofit organization that provides a home for families with children receiving treatment at the hospital. Luke and I spent hours making fleece blankets used in welcome baskets offered to new residents. After completing multiple blankets, the employees at the house graciously offered volunteers a tour of the facility. Luke and I were astonished at the vast amenities hidden inside the walls of the Ronald McDonald House. Children could watch a movie in the theater, dress up like superheroes or princesses, or play in the staircase "treehouse." The courageous families and passionate staff inspired Luke and I to create our own project to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Initially, Luke and I decided that a wish-list item drive would greatly benefit the RMHC of Central Indiana. However, after getting feedback from other students in the Service Learning class, Luke and I devised a plan to make fleece blankets and snack packs for on-the-go residents. 5,000 families enter the doors of the Ronald McDonald House of Central Indiana every year; therefore, the house is in constant need of items and materials that make a chaotic time less stressful. Our project would offer students at New Palestine High School to earn service hours and make a difference in their community. To begin, we made a proposal document and powerpoint to establish the foundation and long-term goals of our project. Luke and I then presented our proposal to various administrators from the New Palestine school district. The guidance counselors, athletic directors, and principals provided Luke and I with insightful feedback that greatly benefited our RMHC proposal. Mrs. Eastes, the principal of New Palestine Elementary, introduced the idea of expanding our project to the leadership groups at the elementary schools in our district. Luke and I proceeded to work with Mr. Large to complete a grant that will financially support our project. Next, we emailed the head of volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House of Central Indiana, Mary Friend. Mary was excited about our project and responded with more information about the snack packs and blankets. Luke emailed Mr. Barton, the Assistant Principal at New Palestine High School, and confirmed the date of our project. Finally, Luke and I designed a rough draft of the flier promoting our proposal. Our next step of the project will begin after we successfully receive grant money from Learningtogive.org. |
Lydia Jones
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