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Family Volunteer Day brings out community

| 25 Nov 2014 | 01:31
    Volunteer Selena Torres and Renee Denay Jones.
    Volunteer Selena Torres and Renee Denay Jones.
    Seventh graders from Sparta Middle School, left side, Rachel Sasik, Jessica Firzlaff and Stephanie Villar; Right side, Kelsi Loewen, Natalie Kruyds and Katie Carrigan.
    Seventh graders from Sparta Middle School, left side, Rachel Sasik, Jessica Firzlaff and Stephanie Villar; Right side, Kelsi Loewen, Natalie Kruyds and Katie Carrigan.
    Left is San Ranasinghe with daughters Lomaaani, 14, and Suvanni, 10.
    Left is San Ranasinghe with daughters Lomaaani, 14, and Suvanni, 10.
    Baby Samantha Barret with her mother Stacy Barret and grandmother Angela Altar.
    Baby Samantha Barret with her mother Stacy Barret and grandmother Angela Altar.
    Left to right, Lily Loewen, 11), Brianna Jones, 15, and Laine Loewen, 9.
    Left to right, Lily Loewen, 11), Brianna Jones, 15, and Laine Loewen, 9.
    Elliott Layman, 9.
    Elliott Layman, 9.
    Left to right McKenzie Emanuel, Mac Kenzie Genund, Cathy Biederman and Catherine Marssich.
    Left to right McKenzie Emanuel, Mac Kenzie Genund, Cathy Biederman and Catherine Marssich.
    Helen Morgan fifth graders bake cookies at Family Volunteer Day. Pictured left to right Jollie Dottinger, Athena Battaglia, Paige Mongon, Tristen Pallito, Nicole Strouse, Katie Groome and Emma Muth.
    Helen Morgan fifth graders bake cookies at Family Volunteer Day. Pictured left to right Jollie Dottinger, Athena Battaglia, Paige Mongon, Tristen Pallito, Nicole Strouse, Katie Groome and Emma Muth.

By Rose Sgarlato
Sparta — Pass It Along hosted its Family Volunteer Day, Nov. 22, a day of service demonstrating the power of families who volunteer together in support of their communities.

Held at the Sparta Evangelical Free Church on the Saturday before Thanksgiving to kick-off the holiday season, Points of Light created the day 22 years ago to showcase the benefits of family volunteering, according to Kelly Bonventre, Director of Programs at Pass It Along.

It also signals the start of National Family Week, sponsored by the Alliance for Children and Families and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

“Families are encouraged to adopt a family in need and provide a frozen turkey along with all of the non-perishable food items to make a complete Thanksgiving meal,” Bonventre said. “Participants will cycle through a list of stations throughout the day starting with decorating boxes that the meals will be placed in.”

Other activities included making placemats, Thanksgiving cards, centerpieces, recipe books and cookie making.

Local students with their families attended including a large group of fifth graders from Helen Morgan School who made cookies for the event.

“You get to decorate cookies and you are doing a generous thing by making dinner for people who can’t afford it,” Emma Muth said.

Another group of seventh graders were on-hand from Sparta Middle School.

“We participate every year for community service as part of a club doing drives throughout the year at our school,” said 13-year-old Rachel Sosik.

Marilyn and Bob Levedag, members of Sparta Evangelical Free Church, attended for the first time bringing their two granddaughters along.

“We feel blessed and want to give back with Pass It Along,” Marilyn said.

Christy Taylor and Emily Farrell, AmeriCorps Service members at Pass It Along, organized the event that brought out individuals and families from all around the county.

“It’s a great pouring out of community outreach. We had people calling left and right and we are so appreciative of the enthusiasm and turn out,” Farrell said.

For more information on volunteering visit www.passitalong.org.