More Terrific Groups of Kids Lend a Hand!

The Helping Hands Service Club from Murray Elementary School, a group of 15 children, all 3-5th grades, delivered 75 full-day meals, plus 35 snack packets during their visit to the UVA Medical Center on May 4th. Clinical Social Worker Teresa Bevins hosted the group, showed the visitors where their production of meals is stored and answered a host of questions as to the value of their contributions.

Helping Hands was formed with a mission to introduce children about community and world needs, and what they can personally do to make things better. Teresa said that she was impressed with the group’s enthusiasm and desire to add to the Meal Program. She was really delighted to see them arrive for the presentation with their hands full of meal packets.

Jennifer LoCasale-Crouch and Adrienne Kim Bird run the Helping Hands service club. During early April Jennifer and Adrienne began communicating and working with Margaret Gorman who runs the IHS Meal Program. The children did a marvelous job of producing this large bounty, and then learned first-hand from Social Worker Bevins the numerous examples of how the meals will sustain so many caregivers in the hospital.

Girl Scout Cadette Troop 129 from Henley Middle School is presently composed of 11 sixth grade girls (age 12). Jennifer Bryerton and Lynn Bradley are the adults leading the troop, which meets every other Sunday at Olivet Presbyterian Church in Ivy.

Connie Alexander, one of the Troop mothers, delivered Troop 129’s meal production to IHS on May 3rd. The girls produced 20 full-day meal packets and 32 single meal packets.
Lynn Bradley said, “The girls enjoyed planning the contents of the bags, shopping for items and stuffing the bags. We follow the good example of service to the community and feel that this effort is just a small step to help those who are recuperating or tending to sick loved ones at UVA Medical Center.”

First United Methodist Preschool in Charlottesville organized the 14 kids in the class for a very special first-time project. Each child was assigned the task of making one complete meal packet and the opportunity to make a card to insert into the complete packet. The class is composed of 3 and 4 year olds. The group must have involved their teachers, since the “one Child, One Packet” project delivered 16 complete full-day meals to Margaret Gorman.

Paige Lindblom, the school director, along with organizing teachers Megan Bisset and Mary K. Carroll, were proud of the children’s enthusiasm. Erin Rothman, whose son Elliott was one of the workers, produced a full meal packet for the project. Erin related that when she told Elliott about the idea, he helped her do all the shopping, including picking out the foods he thought would be healthy and good.

Thanks to everyone involved above. Your joint productivity has met our needs for May!

Blessings ... T. Wade Clegg III