Bubbles!

Today, Kaylen, Shannon, and Anna came with us to Weinland Park.

We brought bubbles and colorful construction paper and decided to blow bubbles and have the kids pop them with the paper.  The idea was that the bubbles would leave rings on the paper when they popped, but the rings didn't end up showing up.  The kids loved it anyway!

Here are three newest members of the DRC!

Shannon

Kaylen

Anna



The First Recess of the Summer

For our first time going down to Weinland this summer, we had more people than ever!

We brought playground balls and new clothes for uniforms.

Abbey was one of the new friends we brought to Weinland.  Some others were Coley, Jack, Clare,  Mrs. Caplin, and Miss Higgins.

Piggyback rides were in high demand.  Jack learned this quickly.

We played team handball this recess.  It was chaotic but fun!  It was a completely new set of rules, and the kids absorbed it more and more as the recess went on.

Christmas Care Packages

This year we made Christmas Care Packages for the kids at Weinland.  Target donated plastic bags that we used.

We included a bar of soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and 2 peppermints in each bag.

We also included a pair of socks and underwear in each bag.  Finally we added either a pair of gloves, a scarf, or a hat.  Then we tied off every bag with a cute, handmade ornament.  We brought them down to Weinland and distributed them; each of the 360 students recieved a care package.

Belts, Coats, and Uniforms

This holiday season we reached out to our community and asked for donations for Weinland Park.  We asked for coats, belts, and white shirts and dark pants (the school uniform) to give to the kids this season.  We collected belts so that the kids who are wearing clothes that are too big would not have their pants falling down.  We are happy to say that we collected over 50 belts, 45 coats, and roughly 25 complete uniform sets.  We have sufficiently stocked their resource room and hopefully will continue to be able to add to it.

Halloween at Weinland

 This year for Halloween at Weinland, the DRC and friends teamed up with the Weinland Park Elementary Staff.  We had a big Halloween party and invited all of the kids at Weinland and their families.  Kids "trick-or-treated" from classroom to classroom and we hosted many activities.

 One of the activites we did was take pictures of the kids in their costumes for them to put into cards that they decorated.

 Face painting was another very popular activity.

 We also helped the kids make Halloween Hands using candy corn and popcorn.  All the kids enjoyed both eating and making these snacks.

We all got dressed up in costumes to celebrate the exciting Halloween!  We had such a good time!!!

Our Last Day...For Now

Recently, we had our last summer day at Weinland Park.  Soon it would be our first day of school, so we would not have a chance to come as often as we had been.

 The kids here are very good at gymnastics.

This is Mr. C. There are no words to describe how awesome Mr. C. is. That is all.

 Here is the cool principal dancing with the kids...

..and here's Riley and Sarah coming to join the fun!

 The girls wanted to get as close to us as possible on our final day.  They kept running out on their way back inside to give us hugs.

It's incredible how much the kids' soccer skills have improved over just one summer!

 We are speechless!

That day was surely our best at Weinland Park.  Everyone was really happy with a very positive attitude and there was a great atmosphere throughout the recess.  We brought popsicles for the kids to eat.  Thank you, everybody at Weinland Park, for giving us this wonderful chance to give back.  You are all very special and we will miss you like crazy!  We can't wait until the next time we go back to Weinland Park.  And we WILL be back... :)

"The DRC are in the house!" -Mr. C.

Spreading the Word

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." -Mother Teresa


Today I got an email from my grandma.  I'd been sharing the blog with her and she'd been reading it and enjoying it very much.  She was excited to see us and our endeavors at Weinland.  But I had no idea that she'd passed it on!


Hi Riley,

Thought you would enjoy this reaction from one of my friends, Ruth, on your work at Weinland Park.

Her daughter is Renae and "her girls" are Ruth's granddaughters.

You girls don't realize what you have started.  This could get to be contagious.  Neat!!! 

Luv, gram

Subject: Re: Weinalnd park blog

Hi Judy,  I loved the blog.  Those girls are amazing.  Good for them and I hope they keep it up.  That sounds like a real success story and it is one to share.  I am going to send this to Renae. She will think it's great also and may encourage her girls in something like this.  It is right up her alley.  Love you,   Ruth

This was fantastic, and very inspirational.  Maybe, by caring for kids in our hometown, we'd inspire someone to do something great halfway across the country.  Who knows?  Inspiration can get to be contagious.

Riley

"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world.  For, indeed, that's all who ever have." -Margaret Mead