What started as a whisper of a dream five years ago finally came to fruition on last month, as the middle school students of Mill Pond School and their focus group leaders ventured beyond the brick and mortar of the school building to be counted among those participating in “Make a Difference Day.”
Suzette Belyea, sixth grade language arts teacher and a newcomer to Mill Pond’s staff, shared with her new friends how she had longed to get her own group of students engaged in this worthwhile activity. What she found was, when you share this kind of dream with the right people, things happen! Teaming up with Bronson Stinnett, the two presented the idea to administration and were given approval to “plan away!”
With assistance from fellow teachers and many hours of planning, making phone calls, and organizing teams, Mrs. Belyea’s dream became reality as about 100 students and staff joined in the gym on Oct. 23. Groups were being sent into Hodgdon, Ludlow, Amity, Houlton, and a few stayed at school for specific projects.
Blaze orange hats (donated by County Federal Credit Union and Bangor Savings Bank) and vests (donated by Aid for Kids) were given to those who would be working outside to make them more visible to any hunters in the area. Rakes and work gloves were distributed as students were put into crews for the day’s activities.
Group One first travelled to the home of an elderly gentleman in Hodgdon to do some raking and stack his winter wood supply. They then went on their way to spread gravel at the Ludlow Town Office and clean up the general area. Lastly, students and staff finished their day at Forticor Alpaca Farm in Hodgdon where students and staff put banking up around the large home. Some students worked at putting coal inside for use over the cold months to come.
Group Two’s destination was the town of Amity. This group raked and cleared out old flowers from the cemetery at the Amity Church, visited the home of another elderly person to assist with cleaning up her yard and raking, and finally to Arthur Howell’s Animal Refuge. Mr. Howell directed the volunteers with a variety of tasks and students really enjoyed being around his incredible array of animals!
Group Three began their day by working on some small crafts and decorations for the upcoming Veterans’ Breakfast that was being held at Hodgdon High School. They also made cards and wrote letters expressing their gratitude to veterans that would be distributed at the breakfast. This group then headed out to assist at the Houlton Humane Society. Students and staff within this group split their work between duties inside and outside. Again, raking and cleaning up the outside area was a priority while inside, students tackled bleaching all surfaces within the two take-in rooms for animals. They also cleaned all the surfaces in the kitchen area and in the large open room where visitors first enter.
Once all the work was done, students were allowed to visit the cat room and help with the socialization of the many cats and kittens available for adoption. A special moment came as everyone was introduced to Emerson, a unique resident of the shelter as this cat is paralyzed in his back legs, but his personality more than makes up for this cat’s shortcoming!
Group Four helped “make a difference” as they visited Madigan Estates. Students carved and decorated pumpkins with some of the residents. Others played a variety of games and another small group made simple craft items with residents.
Bringing youth into a nursing home setting most always results in a blessing on both sides, and this visit was no exception.
Group Five spent their day at Mill Pond School. Some students hit the grounds to gather all the trash and to rake the triangle in front of the building. They also took care of beautifying the soccer fields!
Those students and staff who stayed inside labored tirelessly as they made crafts and cards and notes for the veterans. Their incredible baking skills were put to the test as they cooked and cooked to be able to deliver small gratitude bags of cookies to the Maine State Police barracks, the Aroostook County Sheriff’s office, the Houlton fire and ambulance crews, a few shut-ins and their caretakers, a cancer patient and his spouse, and lastly to a family who had recently suffered a personal loss. Each package of cookies displayed a note of encouragement and thanks.
As Make a Difference Day came to a close, all students and staff involved gathered in the gym to debrief and share some highlights of the day’s activities. Some student comments about the day included: “It made me feel good to help people who couldn’t do the things we did for them.”
Another student’s response, “We should live with this kind of kindness every day. Although it didn’t mean a whole lot to me personally, I think it meant a lot to the people we helped and to Mrs. Belyea.”
