Events and Drives
Now that I have started college, Care for Country’s Heroes has been less active. I gave my sister some of my connections and contacts and she is now doing similar work with a similar organization, Help for All Heroes (link coming soon).
Heroes Haven Farm Family Pumpkin Fest
In celebration of the upcoming fall season, Midwest Veterans Closet hosted their annual Pumpkin Fest. I was responsible for providing deserts and goody bags for the event, so I spoke with the faculty leader of NHS and figured out how many hours students could get for donating cookies as well as legistics for setting up a goody bag packing station in the senior study hall. To gather all of the donations, I told my friends and classmates about the event and how they could help. Within a few days, I was being stopped constantly in the halls by people wondering how they could help out. The baked goods drive lasted only two days, yet during that time, over 20 students donated trays of cookies, brownies, muffins, and cupcakes totaling over 50 batches of treats. In addition to this, using candy, toys, and bags provided by donors of Midwest Veterans Closet and Care for Country’s Heroes, I created a goody bag packing station in the senior study hall where many students stopped to take a break from their studies and pack bags. The support was so great that we over packed for the 150 needed goody bags for the event by lunchtime on the first day. The event was a success with over 200 guests and 5 volunteers from my school setting up early in the morning and staying for some of the 11am-1pm event.
School Supply Drive
At Midwest Veterans Closet, every week, they have a food truck line that hundreds of military families go to. I brought the community together to donate over ten boxes of school supplies which were packed into over fifty backpacks. The supplies were collected at donation tables at several local Starbucks with the idea being that as more supplies piled onto the tables, the more attention they would draw and the more donations people would bring. The school supplies brought joy to many families and children.
July 2nd Meet and Greet
On Saturday July 2nd, I hosted a meet and greet at the Starbucks Military Family Store in North Chicago for members of the North Shore community, Veterans, and active duty service members. In doing this, I hoped to create an environment where everyone could meet in celebration of our heroes around 4th of July to enjoy starbucks coffee and pastries. In so doing, we hoped to provide a channel for members of the community to connect with the military community and for high school students to connect with the volunteering network for Veterans.
In preparation for this event, I drove to several stores and locations around North Chicago, including two Starbucks, three gas stations, a carwash, the Armed Forces Bank, and several more places to put up flyers. I was also in contact with a housing developer very close to the Starbucks, and he had my flyers put in the mailboxes of all 180 units.
I thought it would be nice to have cards and pictures thanking the Veterans as they came in, so I spoke with the woman who manages the day camp at the pool where I lifeguard, and she gave all the kids coloring utensils and paper to make cards. The kids were very excited and passionate about making the cards, and they created over 60 cards scribbled and decorated with messages thanking the Veterans and active duty service members for all they have done and do for us.
Natalie, the Starbucks store manager, helped me decorate and set up for the meet and greet. We designated a big table to be the station for the event with a spread of the cards and pictures as well as red, white, and blue napkins and plates. Around and on the table, we put up balloons, flags, and other 4th of July themed decorations which spiced up the already very patriotically decorated Starbucks Military Family Store. She also provided free coffee and pastries that anyone at the event could enjoy.
Over the three hour event, dozens of Veterans and active duty service members stopped to read cards and to have conversations. We served five cups of coffee, as most people opted for specialized fruity summer themed Starbucks drinks, and the pastries were a huge hit; adults and children alike smiled as they grabbed their favorite treat quickly devouring two trays of pastries. There were ten children, both with and without military parents, who grabbed lemon squares, brownies, and banana bread while their parents ordered beverages. While North Chicago was a little far for my peers to make it, I still received 5 messages asking about ways to get involved with volunteering in support of the military community which allowed me to start gaining support for the back to school supplies drive that I will be hosting in the upcoming month.