On Friday, December 20, Blendon Middle School celebrated its second annual Day of Giving. For several weeks before the special day, students collected items and prepared gifts to give to local people in need.
Sixth graders collected care packages and wrote letters of support for military personnel and veterans. Seventh graders collected snacks, personal hygiene products, games, and door decorations for residents at Edgewood Manor Nursing Home. Blendon’s eighth grade class collected cash and gift cards for Aubrey Beck, a Westerville North student undergoing treatment for brain cancer. They presented Beck with $405 to assist her in her travels to Chicago for specialized treatment.
The Blendon Builders Club Student Council also held a huge raffle featuring more than 90 prizes, including a jersey signed by the entire Columbus Crew 2013 team. The raffle raised a total of $725 for Westerville Caring and Sharing to help provide for local families during the holiday season.
Additionally, Blendon collected nonperishable food items, warm clothing, and holiday decorations to give to WARM for our neighbors.
The season of giving culminated in an assembly to celebrate what the school was able to share with the community. Recipients of the gifts attended and spoke, including Alan Briggs, a Blendon and Westerville North alumni, who accepted the military donation on behalf of service men and women.
To capture the spirit of the event, 150 students performed a personalized version of Let There Be Peace on Earth. Some played in the orchestra, many sang in the choir, and a few even learned the lyrics in American Sign Language.