Bedford honor students help families with sick children
BEDFORD — Supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio was the focus of three eighth graders’ service project at Bedford Junior High School.
Through a fundraising campaign, Isabella Brogan, Aubrey Kurek and Jasmine Philbeck, members of the National Junior Honor Society, served dinner and purchased items from the charity’s wish list.
The decision to support the organization stems from two of the girls having personal connections with the services Ronald McDonald House Charities provide. Families traveling to Toledo for their children’s specialized medical care are offered a place to stay free of charge.
Since the facility opened in 2015, it has provided 4,133 nights to 295 families from Monroe County, 4,466 nights to 319 families from Lenawee County and 1,128 nights to 81 families from Hillsdale, according to Adam Simpson, communications and marketing coordinator.
After collecting more than $1,100, the trio planned and served a meal for the guests staying at the facility.
The menu included ham and Italian sub sandwiches, pasta salad, brownies, cookies and chips.
Approximately 50 people were fed.
“We made fliers and put them in our neighborhood and on Facebook,” Isabella Brogan said. “There was a huge response from our community."
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In addition to the meal, the girls were able to purchase items for the home to use like a new vacuum, pillows, cleaning supplies, toiletries and snacks.
Lisa Carnicom, adviser for the National Junior Honor Society, works with 35 seventh and eighth grade students at the school.
To become a member, a student must have a 3.75 GPA and maintain a 3.5 GPA to remain in the club.
Carnicom tells her students volunteering is helping someone out without getting paid for it.
“A project is you are doing something to better someone or something,” Lisa Carnicom said.
"Students are required to do 20 service (volunteer) hours that they keep track of and one service project they must do on their own,” she said. “For Isabella’s project, although it was volunteer, they had to get money for all of the items and the food they cooked.”
Once completed, students are required to submit a written paragraph about the community service project along with photographs by the end of the third quarter (the Friday after spring break).
“We worked together. This was our service project this year,” Brogan said. “It was a really cool experience and it was fun to watch the families enjoy our meal. We met a little girl who loved the meal we cooked and she showed us some pretty cool dance moves. It was amazing.”
— Contact reporter Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling at lvidaurribowling@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Bedford honor students help families with sick children
