Legacy Day 2010

The countdown to Blake’s fifth annual Legacy Day is on! Plans are under way for this special day, during which the greater Blake community gathers together with the common purpose of strengthening commitments to lifelong learning, community service and world citizenship. Students, teachers, staff, alumni and parent volunteers — more than 2,000 people in all — will come together on Friday, Sept. 24 to celebrate, connect and give back.

As is tradition, the day will begin with Blake’s Convocation ceremony (to be held in the Gordy Aamoth Jr. Memorial Stadium, weather permitting, or the gym, if inclement); then each Legacy group will come together to work on one of three service activities (described below) to create a number of items for donation. The event ends with a final gathering in the stadium to celebrate the day and the connections made. Please know that all parents are invited to attend the ceremony and volunteer for Legacy Day. That said, if it rains, spectator space for Convocation is limited and students and staff will have seating priority.

For more information, be sure to watch Blake’s website. To volunteer, please sign up on the Legacy Day section of the Online Volunteer Form. If you have questions about a service activity, please contact the designated activity chair (listed below).

We are also looking for several new parent leaders to join in the fun. This is a great way to meet a large number of parents and faculty and to help this important day run smoothly! If you are interested, please contact Cheryl Appeldorn at tbsvolunteercoordinator@gmail.com.

Convocation and Legacy Day Planning Committee:
Activity Chairs (see below); Marc Bogursky (Admin); Elizabeth Hastings (MS); Ann Bellin (LS); Carolyn Olson/Stacey Stahl (operations); Nan Peterson (service); Becky Ankeny (alumni); Cathy McLane (communications); Cheryl Appeldorn (volunteer coordinator); Scott Flemming/LearningWorks (recess); Erin Slocum (reflection notebooks); Ken Nivala (buildings and grounds/security).

Service Projects for Legacy Day 2010

FLEECE BLANKET PROJECT
Activity Chair: Carey Moe
Legacy groups will construct a number of fleece blankets to be donated to service organizations for the people they serve. Last year we made more than 260 blankets. In addition, the fleece scraps were used to make 1,000 dog and cat toys, which were donated to the Humane Society.

“We made blankets for the homeless, it feels good to help people stay warm.” Blake student, 2008

HUNGER AROUND THE WORLD
Activity Chair: Kathy Boente/Kathy Weinshel
Legacy groups will partner with Impact Lives to package and distribute food worldwide to places where there is starvation and hunger. Last year, the Legacy groups packaged more than 54,000 meals.

“People are starving all over the world and we need to help them.” Blake student, 2009

FEATHERING THE NEST
Activity Chair: Penelope Greene/Sheila Spencer
Blake Legacy groups will be building nesting boxes, which will be donated to the Three Rivers Park System. This service project will benefit several aspects of our community. Some of the species-specific nesting boxes, designed for wrens, blue birds, bats, kestrels and wood ducks, will be installed in parks while others will be sold in the park system’s gift shops to provide scholarship funds for nature education programs in Twin Cities schools. The nesting boxes will be constructed from kits produced by Elpis Enterprises (Elpis is the Greek word for “hope”), a youth development organization focusing on youth employment training and small business education. Using reclaimed and recycled wood products in its woodworking shop, Elpis program participants work in all areas of the business. Elpis’ staff will lead Blake Legacy groups in the construction of the nesting houses.

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