Friendship Circle Volunteers Appreciated at ‘Beach Party’

After nearly 10 months of dedicating themselves to children with special needs and the Friendship Circle of Brooklyn, close to 250 young women gathered at the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights for an evening of recognition and appreciation.

Dubbed “A Barbecue at the Beach,” the girls entered the room to the sound of waves brushing against the sand, beach chairs, sun umbrellas and a summery environment.

This year’s program focused on the tremendous effect a volunteer has on a child with special needs and his/her family. Driving the point home, Mrs. Chani Majesky, director of The Friendship Circle, shared a few stories and anecdotes heard from mothers, about how volunteers ‘make the day’ of their special friend after their weekly visit, complimenting the many girls who go out of their way to  make their friend feel really special.

The highlight of the evening was the “Accumulated Gumball Drop.” Girls who had volunteered for various programs of the Friendship Circle joined Malka Kugel – Beis Rivka school president – as she listed the many hours the volunteers have accumulated over the year. Each hour was represented by a gumball. The young women were able to get a visual as to how their one hour a week really amounts to so much more, and how together we can all make a difference!

This year, the high school girls volunteering for the Friendship Circle accumulated nearly 6,000 – six thousand! –  hours of dedication to children with special needs in Brooklyn.

Mrs. Chani Majesky then thanked the five school presidents for going out of their way throughout the year to ensure that the Friendship Circle is well represented in their respective schools. They are: Beis Rivka – Malka Kugel, Leah Lew and Leah Borisute; Bnos Menachem – Mussie Schimmel and Yehudis Segal.

At the conclusion of the evening a raffle was held on an iPad mini, and this year’s volunteer appreciation gift, a beach towel, was distributed to all.