New Canaan Country School families came together, in-person and online, to serve the wide-ranging needs of 14 local non-profit organizations on Saturday, April 17. They were participating in the seventh annual Kyle A. Markes Day of Service in honor of an NCCS classmate who passed away in 2013. Kyle was passionate about community service and basketball, and the annual event incorporates both.
Volunteers restocked the food pantry at New Covenant Center(Stamford) and Person-to-Person (Norwalk); performed spring clean up and planted flowers for Waveny Care Center (New Canaan), the New Canaan Inn (New Canaan), Open Door Shelter (Norwalk) and Inspirica(Stamford) and fulfilled the wishlists of non-profit organizations including the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford (Stamford), Building One Community (Stamford), Filling In the Blanks (Norwalk), the Horizon Family Fund Emergency Fund (New Canaan), Family & Children's Agency (Norwalk) and Camp AmeriKids (Stamford). Volunteers also made fleece blankets for the babies in the NICU and cards for the mothers comforted by The Tiny Miracles Foundation (New Canaan) and provided toys for pediatric patients of Yale's Smilow Cancer Center (New Haven).
In a twist on the 3x3 basketball tournament and student fundraiser held annually pre-Covid-19, students this year participated in a "Markes Madness Diaper Dunk!" whereby each homeroom class earned one basketball free throw for every box of macaroni and cheese they donated, as well as five free throws for every package of diapers donated. Students then got to take free throws and try to "win" by sinking the most shots. All food items collected were delivered to Person-to-Person Saturday, April 17.
"KAM Day of Service makes a very real difference in our larger community and embodies the School's mission statement and values of Community, Courage, Curiosity and Kindness," said Grade 8 Teacher and Service Learning Director Will McDonough who, together with event co-chairs Kristin Cahill of Norwalk and Sally Fonner of New Canaan, facilitated the activities. "One of the earliest books our students read is Barbara Cooney's Miss Rumphius in which the narrator's Great Aunt Alice challenges her to 'make the world a more beautiful place'. Our students, from the youngest to oldest, continue to seek out opportunities to heed this call and KAM Day is a beautiful opportunity to see their empathy in action," said Mr. McDonough.
New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent day school for students in Pre-K (ages 3 & 4) through Grade 9 living in Westchester and Fairfield counties. Graduates excel at top day, boarding and public secondary schools and go on to lead lives of impact and purpose. For more information, please visit countryschool.net.
https://patch.com/connecticut/newcanaan/new-canaan-country-school-holds-kyle-markes-day-service-1?fbclid=IwAR3a_NZ0vaobYqt63hPAbUbTEuHPqbSXZmSpVMXIzT-7skpBrDe_B4z907U