The Case for Harriton Community Service Clubs

Sharon+Kilday%2FThe+Dallas+Morning+News%2FMCT

Kilday

Sharon Kilday/The Dallas Morning News/MCT

When was the last time you performed a good deed? Did you make soup for a homeless shelter? Did you sew pillows for children suffering from cancer? As most of you may be aware, there is an immensely wonderful sensation associated with performing such actions – those that are selfless and noble.

At Harriton, students have the benefit of experiencing such feelings on a constant basis. With the extensive community service opportunities, I certainly urge you to get involved.

Harriton has a huge number of diverse clubs to fit the interests of many students, but one of the largest categories of them is community service-oriented clubs. These clubs fit the diverse interests of many students in the Harriton community.

For those who are interested in art, there is Gems No Genocide. For students who are avid chefs, there is the Soup Kitchen Club. Even for sports fans, there are countless charity sporting events that are available as a part of the Harriton Service League.

Among these options, students can work fundraising events, organize activities, or even come to the events that sound interesting to them. And in all such community service clubs, you are guaranteed to make a lasting impact on your community.

Perhaps the best way to sign up for one of these clubs is by visiting their tables on RAM day. By doing so, you will be able to explore the various services each club has to offer. The Harriton Service League, for instance, runs the Adam Spector Walk. This 5k walk that takes place on Saturday, April 5th 2014 raises money to fund research dedicated to developing new drug therapies and treatments for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Moreover, the money contributes to improving the quality of life for patients and their families managing Hodgkin’s. Within Gems No Genocide, students make jewelry to help end genocide in Darfur and raise awareness about the horrible atrocities occurring in the Darfur region of Sudan. If you are interested in learning more about this club, feel free to go to the club’s Witness Inspire Act Conference on April 22nd at Harriton from 6 PM to 9 PM.

Of course with a hectic schedule, many students find it hard to take on more activities. But let it be known that community service clubs offer a highly flexible schedule. Harriton’s Jared’s Box – a club that packs boxes of toys for kids with cancer at CHOP – has its members come three to four times a year after school to pack the boxes of toys. This is a club that only requires three to four meetings a year, but the service that is done in that time makes a lasting impact. If this sounds interesting to you, the next Jared’s Box meeting is April 8th after school in room 234.

The Harriton Service League (HSL) is also known to run many different service events each month and allows members to contribute whenever they are available. HSL’s activities range from volunteering at blood drives to volunteering at parent teacher conferences. There is something for people who are able to dedicate time and people who are unable to do so. In either case, however, community service at Harriton is proven to be an extremely valuable, and impacting experience.

From packing a box for children with cancer to volunteering to donate blood, each experience you undergo can lead to an immensely positive impact on others. Those who receive such service are likely to be inspired to do similar community service projects, as they are familiar with the direct benefits of doing so.

Furthermore, the sense of purpose you acquire after performing such deeds can act as fuel to continue the cycle of generosity. Simply making time in your schedule to do one act of community service a month will benefit the entire community in numerous ways. The result is truly priceless. So get involved Harriton.

If any of these clubs or events mentioned above interest you, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].