Here is a very inspiring story about a Builders Club in the New York District that I wanted to share with all of you. I'm very touched by their passion for this cause and hope it inspires you to see what your local Builders Club has to offer!
At Thanksgiving time, a local Radio Disk Jockey would take a paper box, a sleeping bag and some food up onto a flat roof of a restaurant and stay there for the weekend, asking people to contribute money for the homeless. My Builders Club (at a City School that had the highest poverty level in the city) Kids wanted to raise money to contribute to the DJ's efforts for the homeless. They decided on a "Walk for the Homeless". Our school was exactly a mile from Lake Ontario. They planned a two mile (pre-paid) walk, from the school, down to the Beach and back. They picked the Monday before Thanksgiving to do it. The kids were all bussed into this school so they would have to start the walk the last period of the school day and then take a late bus home (one usually set aside for those doing sports, or having detention or needing extra help). The school agreed to this but said in order for a student to get out of 8th period to do the walk, he/she had to have brought in at least $5.00 (these kids were all poor, so that meant really getting a lot of small donations) and get written permission from their 8th period teachers. The day of the walk, 22 of my 35 Builders Club members had turned in at least $5.00 and had written permission from their teacher. Earlier that day,the temperature had plummeted to 20 degrees with a wind-chill index of about 5 degrees, it was snowing and we had about 5 inches of snow on the ground. The 22 kids still wanted to do the walk, so off we went. When we got to the beach, we stopped for a minute to get a picture to give to the DJ with the money raised. I was so proud of the kids for insisting they do the walk, not just turn in the money, that I told them I would buy them all a cup of hot chocolate at a local burger place about a block away from the beach, but on the way back to the school. The kids started off walking faster, knowing this, while I followed up the rear with the slower students. When I got to the restaurant, all the kids were outside waiting, and very upset. They had gone in, to use the bathrooms and wait for me. The management had told them the restrooms were for "Paying Customers Only." They explained they walk and that I was bringing up the rear with the slower walkers, but were still told, to use the bathroom or even be in the restaurant they had to buy something first! When I arrived, they indignantly explained the situation. I went in, placed and paid for 23 cups of Hot Chocolate and the kids were allowed in. On the way back to school, they ALL talked about how hard it must be really to be homeless, if people wouldn't even let you come in to go to the restroom! It was not only a wonderful project for them to do (they turned in almost $500.00, much of it being brought in after the walk was over, when they told everyone how cold they had been, and their experience being turned away by the restaurant) but my Builders Club Members had a real passion to collect even more because of their experience. The experience had made the project very personal!
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