“Kindness in giving creates love.” ― Lao Tzu
If the above quote is to be believed, over the past few weeks our incredible BCD community created a LOT of love!
Students, parents, faculty, and friends selected one of 130 tags from the adorable gingerbread house boards specially created by our own Student Council.(Kudos here to Sarah Pitcher-Hoffman, our faculty sponsor extraordinaire.) Each tag presented the name of an unmet friend from the greater Berkshire community (facilitated by the Department of Children and Family Services) who was in need of help to make a holiday dream come true. Most items on the kids’ wish lists looked familiar (Frozen Dolls or Minecraft paraphernalia), but some tag-selectors were surprised to see more practical wishes (snow pants or a warm jacket or a pair of jeans). This made for many teachable moments about service and giving and wants and needs.
Flash forward a week and a half, and I am overwhelmed by the “kindness in giving” demonstrated by our community. As they proudly carried their gifts onto campus, students told me how they had shopped carefully to select just the right item. Joy of service was palpable as the pile of presents rose higher and higher and higher. (Big thanks here to PA co-chairs, Elizabeth Powell and Terri Sash for receiving and recording the gifts and to Melissa Kruse for coordinating all those that found their way into the main office.)
Representatives from DCF needed to make two separate trips to get all the gifts transported up to the main Pittsfield office where social workers will get them and then distribute them to the children in the families with whom they work. In a message meant to be shared with our entire school community, Lindsay LeClair, one of our DCF liaisons, said, “Thank you all so much for all the gifts. We cannot thank you enough for you generosity. We appreciate everything you have done and we look forward to working with you all next year!!! Happy Holidays!!”
I am thri
lled and thankful to have been able to have been part of this special school-wide project. As I prepare for the winter break, the image to the left is one I will carry home with me. It should remind each of us about the things that matter and how it is up to each of us to “create love.”
I wish you all the most joyous of holidays (whatever, whenever, and wherever you celebrate) filled with all the things you love most. See you in 2016!
Susan (aka Dr. G.)
