Cookie decoration more than a sweet treat

[ccfic caption-text format="plaintext"]

By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter

Community service is a pillar of the Dover-Sherborn school system. Each student must complete at least 40 hours of community service before graduating from high school. While this requirement certainly helps push certain students towards more than they might otherwise have given, members of the Community Service Club in Dover go the extra mile - not because they have to, but because they enjoy doing so. On Monday, the club held a cookie decoration for the Dover Council on Aging, gathering in the Caryl Community Center to frost and sprinkle St. Patrick’s day treats.

Rebecca Waterman, a high school teacher and head of the Community Service club said, “We tried to organize this for Valentine’s day but then we got snowed out, so we reschedule it for today.” Missing the blizzard by a hair, Waterman raved about the dedication of her students. “The kids you see here are pretty much the core kids, but there are also a couple of kids who I’ve never seen before, which is awesome.” The last event the students held with the COA was a technology question and answer. “They sat in small groups and helped answer any questions the seniors had about devices. It’s really nice sometimes to just have some conversation. The kids are so patient,” she added.

Brooke Daly, Ali Scatchard, and Winnie McCabe are all seniors, and leaders of the club. Introduced to it by a recent graduate, the girls show a real enthusiasm and excitement about what they do. “We do a lot of events at the school,” Daly said. These include a drive for the American Heart Association, as well as a clothing drive for Family Of Promise in Natick.

“That was right around Christmas time so we got a lot of sweaters and winter jackets. We raised over 100 items,” Scatchard added. Events with the COA are pretty common, including helping seniors shovel during snow storms. “The technology Q&A was really fun,” Scatchard said. “One woman couldn’t download solitaire on her iPad, so we helped her with that.”

The club meets every week, however much of their time goes into the events. “You’re involved as much as you want to be, so if you’re in a sport and have to cut back sometimes, that’s fine,” Daly said.

“Everyone should join!” Scatchard piped in.

“It’s definitely nice to be able to have them do something really local,” Waterman finished.

These students, and this club, are certainly making a local difference.