By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

On the morning of Jan. 20, the gymnasium at the Hillendale Elementary School was filled to capacity with over 100 students from four elementary schools, their parents, their teachers and their administrators for a day of service in celebration of the life and mission of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Renewing what has become an annual rite of passage for students at the four elementary schools in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District -- Chadds Ford, Hillendale, Pocopson and Unionville -- this year’s Day of Service turned the gym floor into a workshop of young artisans who made:

• 29 blankets for an area Ronald McDonald House 
• 69 birthday boxes for Kennett Area Community Service
• 40 memory books for the Pocopson Home
• 56 inspirational signs for the STEHM-Martha house 
• 285 kindness clips for PAWS for People
• 87 decorated duffle bags for CASA Youth Advocates
• 100 snack boxes for Meals on Wheels
• 60 bookmarks and 40 cards for the Nemours Children’s Hospital and 
• 155 decorated onesies and toddler shirts for YoungMoms, Inc.

Chelsea Wirth, a parent volunteer at Hillendale Elementary School, has worked with other parent volunteers over the past several years to produce the event in commemoration of King’s message of unity and his long-time service to others.

“Back when we started this event, our original intention was to combine three actions -- ‘Learn, Create and Donate,’” Wirth said. “Through them, our students and families are able to make the connections with the organizations they are helping. They are not just dropping something off. They are meeting the people who work for these organizations, and they are learning about the people who benefit from what these organizations are doing for other people. The largest part of this event is that they are creating something for those people in our community.

“When those connections are made, it becomes a pattern of who you are and what you do.”

Wirth, a mother of three, said that her children look forward to participating in the Day of Service every year.

“They look forward to meeting the organizations that are here every year,” she said. “They look forward to meeting the new organizations, being with their school community and their friends and creating something wonderful.

“As a mother, that means a lot, because I feel as if I am creating a pattern that will enable my children to hopefully remain contributing members of society as they grow. When I look around this room, I know that this forms a complete picture of what MLK Day is really all about.”

Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz said that her visit to Hillendale Elementary School was one of a few volunteer stops she was making on Jan. 20.

“Every one of these events is special,” she said. “It’s nice for a community to be together in order to commemorate service to others. When my husband and I were raising our children, we didn’t have anything like this to take them to. These kids here today are going to grow up and carry on the legacy of volunteerism, and it reminds parents, as well.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].