Through the Harriton Cafeteria doors, a powerful event with countless service opportunities, dedicated volunteers, and an atmosphere of pure compassion filled every corner of the room. March 19th marked the return of the Day of Service at Harriton, which came to an end with the arrival of COVID-19. For over two years now, community members have been yearning for another opportunity to give back, and the HSL Day of Service did just that. The recent event was different from the traditional event, however it certainly retained its impact on the community. 

From service activities to sales raising money for good causes, the event was a big success – one that will hopefully transcend into future years at Harriton. To get a feel for the event and the accomplishments of each unique table, this article will go over everything you’ll need to know about the HSL Day of Service.

Starting off with the first table – cards for hospitalized kids – kids and adults of all ages dedicated a few minutes to create a handcrafted card for hospitalized children nationwide. The volunteers truly expressed creativity in card design; the uplifting messages, cheerful puns, adorable drawings, and uniquely-shaped cards will certainly bring joy to any receiver. Over 35 personalized cards were delivered to the internationally recognized organization, which will distribute the letters to kids in need. 

Directly in front of the card-making table were two tables focused on helping the homeless in Philadelphia. A lemonade stand raised money for Project HOME, and a toiletry-making table had volunteers assemble bags of necessities for the homeless through Note in a Tote. Consisting of items from hand soap to toothbrushes along with a kindly written letter, over 30 kits were created and have the potential to spread hope and kindness to those in need.

The next few tables were very specific to engagement in the world as a whole. Primarily, the Civics Engagement Club encouraged those attending to sign up to vote in an upcoming election and ultimately aimed to create future involved citizens. Another table sold Ukrainian Pins with all proceeds going towards Ukrainian refugees through the Ukrainian Red Cross. Volunteers showed their support by wearing these pins throughout the duration of the event.

To the right of these tables, the HSL bake sale thrived, and all proceeds were sent to the Share Food Program, focused on fighting food insecurity in Philadelphia. From a homemade assortment of cookies to brownies and cupcakes, many volunteers helped this organization by purchasing over 50 tasty treats. Additionally, the environmental club set up a table filled with lightly-used clothing for purchase and collected money for a local and impactful goal: building a tree within Harriton High School.

Another interactive table followed and gathered a lot of attention. Volunteers of all ages crafted hand-made dog toys to be donated to Paws and Affection out of one simple material: fabric. These carefully crafted toys have been delivered to service dogs in need.

For the final group of tables, four tables housed meaningful drives: an animal supply drive, book drive, clothing drive, and food drive. The animal supply drive received many donations of dog food, towels, and more, which will all be donated to Main Line Animal Rescue. The book drive was a big success and contributed a massive amount of books to Tree House Books. The clothing drive saw a large variety of donations and filled 6 large bags with around 100 articles of clothing for GreenDrop. Finally, the food drive, which donated all items to the Ardmore Food Pantry, filled a bucket to the brim with cans, packages, and meals to feed families in need.

The variety of service opportunities within one cafeteria and in one single day was immensely impactful. Ultimately, the success of the Day of Service came down to one thing: the community’s devoted participation. Harriton could not be more grateful for the volunteers that showed up and took part in service for our community!