Pleasantdale students send items to Marines
Pleasantdale Elementary School students, families, staff and PTA recently completed a comprehensive education-based service project involving a Marine group stationed in Afghanistan.
The project started when Jean French, parent to six children, asked Principal Matt Vandercar about coordinating a letter writing and care package campaign to a friend's son, a marine stationed in Afghanistan. In response, The Write Stuff, a monthly writing activity led by PTA parents Rosaria Becker and Julia Doyle sponsored these two campaigns. This idea fueled a schoolwide effort to support and encourage our troops through heartfelt letters and supplies.
The school's annual Veterans Day celebration was the kick-off activity. Many years ago, Pleasantdale Elementary District 107 opted to attend school on a day when many school districts take the day off in observance of Veterans Day.
"Veterans Day is a very important day in District 107" said Vandercar. "Every child in the building participates in meaningful activities celebrating this special day."
The culminating activity for Veterans Day is a schoolwide assembly. Veterans are invited to attend and speak to the student body. In addition, each grade level in the preschool through fourth grade building gets a chance to present the special guests with some sort of tribute.
This year, Jim Martin of Western Springs spoke to students, asking them to write letters to his son, Michael, a young marine and graduate of Lyons Township High School and his platoon, the 2/2 Weapons Company stationed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Vandercar said this was a very powerful and emotional plea.
"I imagine most of the students went home that afternoon and started their letters. The students were very empathetic to Mr. Martin," Vandercar said.
"The generosity and kindness shown by Pleasantdale families and others was unbelievable" Vandercar said.
There were enough magazines, razors, shaving cream, foot powder, lotions, candy, snacks, sunscreen and socks to fill nearly 60 boxes. Pleasantdale families, along with area contributors, donated $700 to pay for shipping.
The district thanks to Hinsdale Boy Scout Troop 8; Antares Institute, Willowbrook; West Suburban Women's Health LLC, Willowbrook; The Law Firm of Gunty & McCarthy, Chicago; and Attorney Daniel Donnelly, Western Springs, whose contributions also made this campaign a success. A group of parents and students came in over the holiday break to sort, package and ship everything to the Marines in Afghanistan.
Last week, Pleasantdale students received a very exciting phone call from Michael Martin in Afghanistan, which was played over the loud speaker. The message thanked the students for all the letters and treats. Martin told the students that they are very appreciative and plan on visiting Pleasantdale Elementary School when their stay in Afghanistan is over.
"Hearing from the Marines was quite a climactic event. Every student was touched and felt they had made a difference in someone's life" said Vandercar.
1 comment:
Gina,
I just wanted to write and say thank you and "job well done" for this blog.
This is wonderful news. I do not subscribe to the Doings and did not know anything about this. I don't remember reading about it in my Friday packet - come to think of it, I haven't seen a packet in several weeks.
Also, thank you for the information on the fundraising efforts for the PDale family in need.
I especially liked the information on D102 and found it refreshing that their Superintendent would start his own blog. WOW! I doubt we will ever see that type of two way, open communication from D107!
This blog has provided me more information on PDale in the past few months, than I have seen over my last eight years at PDale. Thank you and keep up the good work.
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