Take nine Friends Academy faculty, almost 250 Upper School students and add in a bunch of criss-crossing yellow and orange dodgeballs and you have the makings of one of the largest Friends Academy fundraisers for the North Shore Sheltering Program in Glen Cove.
On Friday, March 28, the Upper School club W.A.T.C.H. (We Are The Community Helpers) sponsored one of the school’s largest dodgeball tournament ever. Reams of students paid $5 each for the potential honor of taking on the Faculty Team.
“All of the student teams wanted to play the faculty,” said WATCH advisor Judy James. “The event would not have been the same without the teachers. They really motivated the kids to come.”
Student teams ranged in size from 8 to 20 players, including the entire lacrosse team. Some adopted costumed themes for the evening – the “Milk team” wore all white, while others adorned various headgear (from football helmets to bear hats to ski goggles) to make their presence known. The two-hour evening event ultimately raised $1,244.00 for the North Shore Sheltering Program in Glen Cove.
Founded 18 years ago by concerned local citizens after two homeless men froze to death in Glen Cove, the shelter is housed in the parish hall of the Glen Cove Presbyterian Church. Every day at 6 p.m., the shelter’s doors open and welcome any and all men without a place to sleep. The shelter also offers daily hot meals as well as medical services.
“Most of the local men who turn up at the shelter are only homeless in the winter,” explained James. “The rest of the year they are able to find work and earn enough to get by.”
Since the shelter only opens part of the year during the coldest months (November-March), it is not eligible for any government aid and must operate solely on donations.
Since its founding, the Friends Academy community has been providing help through the cooking and serving of dinners, and donations of sleeping bags, toiletries and other non-perishable items. Many of the weekly sandwiches that FA students make in school are also donated to the shelter and according to James, “may be the only lunch many of these men have.”
