SCHOOLS

Philanthropist’s Club sends vets to D.C.

Lola Wall, President of the Philanthropist’s Club at Marshall Middle School, meets World War II Veterans. The vets were able to make a trip to Washington, D.C., because of the Philanthropist’s Club’s fundraising efforts. (courtesy photo)

Philanthropist’s Club sends vets to D.C.

The Philanthropist’s Club at Marshall Middle School is making a difference in the lives of World War II veterans.

Julie Rick, advisor for the Philanthropist’s Club and math teacher at Marshall Middle School, established the club 10 years ago.

“Most of the kids at our school are upper middle class, for the most part, and they live in nice neighborhoods. I wanted to provide the opportunity to give back to the community,” Rick said.

Every year, the club votes on a charity to support financially through fundraisers over the course of the school year. Rick happened upon an article featuring the charity Honor Flight Network and suggested it as an option for the club. The club voted and agreed Honor Flight Network was the charity they wanted to support.

According to its website, Honor Flight Network’s mission is “to transport America’s veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit those memorials dedicated to honor the service and sacrifices of themselves and their friends.”

Last year, the club supported two local World War II veterans who visited the group after their trip to Washington, D.C., in uniform.

The club’s 25 members meet every Wednesday at lunch to discuss details for upcoming fundraisers or events. The club hosts bake sales that take place one to two times a month with cupcakes and donuts as their main form of fundraising. The baked goods are paid for by the students in the club. This year, the club furthered its fundraising efforts by selling candy grams at Marshall Middle School for Valentine’s Day. Rick said the new fundraiser was a huge success with the club raising more than $500.

Rick said the club has raised approximately $1,600 with the hope of raising $1,800 by the end of the school year. The money this year will go to support two brothers who bravely fought in World War II.

In addition to fundraising for Honor Flight Network, the club also conducts a food drive every November. This year the club collected 1,500 cans of food. Rick said she is hopeful the club will continue to give back to the community in new ways including service opportunities.

439 thoughts on “Philanthropist’s Club sends vets to D.C.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *