Harvey Cares in a Big Way in November

Over 200 Middle and Upper School students working with parent volunteers and faculty were truly a sight to see, on a rainy November day at Harvey, as the school community joined together to make a difference for those in need outside the Harvey community.

During the afternoon portion of the Parents’ Association’s November 29th HarveySpeaks agenda, the Middle School was abuzz with students and adults as some were building bluebird houses for the grounds of Harvey, others were creating gingerbread boy holiday decorations for those in nursing homes, still others were wrapping holiday gifts for the Jan Peek House in Peekskill, while yet another group was sorting donated children’s clothing to be packaged and sent to The Sharing Shelf, a Family Services Association based in White Plains. Around the corner from the room with blue bird house construction, was still another group, creating housewarming gifts for Habitat for Humanity.

But the Middle School was not the only site on campus where community service initiatives were happening. In the Study Hall of the Upper School, students, teachers and parents shared a training session with assistance dogs and their trainers from the East Coast Assistance Dogs (ECAD). In the fall, to prepare for HarveySpeaks, the Harvey students sponsored a dress down day to raise funds for these community service projects. Over in the Mennen Library building, “Color A Smile” was underway as participants were busy coloring pictures and writing letters and holiday cards to be sent to the men and women serving overseas in our nation’s armed services. Another group packed up the donated food supplies and delivered them to the Community Center of Northern Westchester.

With the afternoon community service initiatives and the evening workshops geared for family enrichment, Parents’ Association President Karen Walant said this year’s HarveySpeaks event was special. “This unique event brought the children and parents of Harvey families together, to join more intimately with faculty and staff, which, in turn, helps nurture the larger family–the Harvey community,” President Walant said. This year was the second year of HarveySpeaks event. Headmaster Barry Fenstermacher said he expects it to be an annual event.

Anyone from the outside who might have attended would have been heartened and impressed by the profound sense of family that was quite evident throughout the day and evening of HarveySpeaks.