My day job is teaching Spanish. Es la verdad.
In addition, I also co-sponsor the Spanish Club at West Mifflin Area High School with the other Spanish teacher, Mr. McMonagle, who formerly co-sponsored it with Mrs. Sacunas, who retired this past year (and just happened to be my Spanish 1 teacher when I went to school there). Two years ago, they started a "Coffee and Cookies Day" to raise money for the charity of the club's choice as a community service project.
Kids need to learn to give back, selflessly. Es la verdad.
Not only did they involve the members of the club, but also the other students who were in the Spanish classes. Students, teachers, and other staff members could come into their classrooms throughout the day to buy cups of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, in addition to many cookies that were made by the students and teachers to sell. All proceeds - every last penny - went to the charity.
Last year, they raised $500.00 exactly.
This year, we are looking to surpass that total. Students and staff will again buy or make cookies, coffee, etc. throughout the day, and we have chosen Make-A-Wish as the benefactor of the funds this year. For more information on Make-A-Wish, if you are not familiar, click here. Basically, they grant wishes - sometimes, final wishes - to kids who are very ill, or even dying.
This charity is dear to my heart, personally, because I knew a child from right here in West Mifflin who had her wish granted through Make-A-Wish. She had Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, and little hope of surviving. She wanted a "Princess Parade" in her honor - she rode in a horse-drawn carriage through the streets of West Mifflin, which ended at the very high school that I attended (and at which I now teach), with various activities scheduled there in her honor.
My family, along with others, fundraised for her family often, even twice organizing a golf outing at Westwood Golf Club to raise money for them to help pay her medical bills, as they were outrageous. I was proud to volunteer for and emcee these events.
A few months later, two days before Christmas in 2006, I visited her one last time - at the funeral home. If you have never visited a funeral home for a 6-year old girl...well, I hope you never have to.
Thank goodness her wish was granted, right?
Make-A-Wish gives kids what they need to stay strong, whether it be a parade, a vacation, or even just a swingset, as I have had a few students tell me that they know a child who received one locally through Make-A-Wish. However, in order to do so, they need to raise the money to grant these wishes.
Obviously, the more that we have to sell, the more money we can earn for Make-A-Wish - 100% of what we earn is profit for them. Thankfully, there are generous people in the Pittsburgh area who are more than willing to help us, in addition to our own students (who have signed up to donate a lot themselves). Because of this blog, and the fact that she is one of the nicest pastry chefs/executive chefs/restaurant owners that I have met in the area, Kelly James from Sugar Cafe has committed to donating two dozen giant chocolate chip cookies and two dozen mini-cupcakes for us to sell for this fundraiser. I cannot be more grateful to her for her generosity.
I ask you - can you help us by donating baked goods or coffee? If so, please email me at senoritacibulka@gmail.com (NOTE: All baked goods must be nut-free, due to allergies.)
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| A gorgeous Cosmo Cupcake from Sugar Cafe. |
Muchas gracias.
Make-A-Wish: http://www.wish.org
Sugar Cafe
1517 Potomac Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15216
Website: http://www.sugarcafepittsburgh.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/sugarcafepgh
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