Service Survey

Thanks to everyone who brainstormed ideas on how we can make a difference and help dig a well in South Sudan. We chose Water for South Sudan because the whole middle school read the book A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park as our summer reading book this year.
Here are some of the ideas we collected. We’d like to implement one on Make A Difference Day, celebrated this year on October 26th.  We hope you’ll help us decide what to do by voting for one or more of the ideas below.  Before you vote, watch the video about Water for South Sudan and its remarkable founder, Salva Dut.

What do you do to make a difference in people’s lives? Do you smile at people you greet? Do you volunteer? Help around the house? Let us know how you make a difference.

 

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40 thoughts on “Service Survey

  1. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    Brooke and I helped make a small difference to the kids in hospitals and to abandoned animals in the animal shelter. We created a duct tape sale and we made a bunch of trinkets out of duct tape!

    I took the survey and I voted for a bake sale (because I like baking), an art show, and a walk-a-thon. I think a walk-a-thon is a good idea because we can walk for the people in Africa.

    What do you think we should do?
    -Cogan
    http://cogansblog.edublogs.org/

    • Dear Cogan,
      I think the walk-a-thon is very symbolic of the walking Salva and Nya did in A Long Walk to Water, so I think it is a great choice as well. Congratulations on your duct tape trinkets! That was very generous and creative of you! I think it’s so cool how a new craft has developed from duct tape! Someone in that company is very clever to market duct tape with designs and crafty uses.
      We’ll see what results we get from the survey by the end of next week. Perhaps we can do a few things. Do you remember how much it is to dig one well?
      ~Mrs. Donofrio

  2. Hello! I help around the house a lot, and i also greet most people with a smiling face. I want to start doing volunteer work. I know several places that offer volunteering hours, but I haven’t put my plans into action. If you know of any good places, I would love to hear about them. I think a bake sale or an art show would be some great fundraisers. Many people like to have their child’s artwork framed and with a plaque with their name. Also, a bake sale would probably be a huge hit , especially if the kids make it themselves. Homemade cookies are always nice, and the kids could decorate them with their own unique designs. Selling lemonade, juice, and coffee along with the baked goods might also be good. Those are a couple ideas that I have, and i hope we can put a fundraiser in action! What is your favorite fundraiser?

  3. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    I think that doing fundraisers and group projects is an awesome idea. On the survey I chose Bake sale, because I love to bake, Middle school dance, and I also wrote down a lemonade stand. Some of my classmates and I next month are selling pumpkin spice coffee, and treats to raise money for the children at the All Childrens Hospital in Tampa. We are also going to bring them teddy bears and halloween gift-bags. It is going to be so fun to be able to give those kids a treat! I think that people all getting together to help a good cause is a great way to make the world a better place. Do you think our fundraiser is a good idea? What would you do if you got the chance to do a fundraiser? Hope you liked my ideas.
    ~Baylee

    • Hi Baylee,
      You have great ideas! I think it’s awesome that you are going to give stuff to hospitalized kids. Claudia and I actually have a great idea to help people in South Sudan. We are going to have a craft sale. With the money we make, we will buy Bobbles and send them to people in South Sudan. Bobbles are pretty much water bottles with filters. Since many people in South Sudan do not have clean water, Bobbles will help make the water cleaner. This will also help prevent sickness.
      *Megan

  4. Hi Mrs. Donfrio I think we all should help to have a bake sale at the garauge sale. I think that people can make a differencen if we chip in some money.

  5. Hi Mrs.Donofrio, I also make a difference in peoples lives.By organizing funraisers, donating money to organizations, and spreading news to other people around me so the news grows and grows.I always make sure to smile at people when I greet them, because no matter who it is I want to make a good reputation for myself. I make sure I help around the house. Especially because I have a big family. And last but not least I never turn down an offer to volenteer. It’s a great way to get involved in the community.I loved the post!
    -Cooper

  6. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    I recently went to the dentist’s office and a lady was walking out. My family went in, but I stayed behind and held the door for her. Even though she didn’t say thank you, I was still pleased with myself. I also like waving and smiling at people in the car on the way to school. I don’t know who it is but I love doing it anyway. I always help,around the house whether my mom asks me or not. I take out the trash,feed my birds (every day), I clean the kitchen, and occansionally I will make my family lunch or breakfast. over the summer I volunteered at a bible camp. I didn’t want to do it at first, but when it was over I wanted to start again. It was so much fun! Our family also adopted a cat 8 years ago, and she was a rescue from Hurricane Charley. The police named her KayKay. My mom and I were going to get my sister a dog for her birthday. When we were at the shelter my mom took one look at her and,we got her. Has your family adopted a pet from an animal shelter?
    Emmalee

  7. Dear Ms. Donofrio,

    I am trying to make a difference in the lives of people who have Breast Cancer. I saw an add on a Yoplait box and it said that when you send Yoplait yogurt lids to Susan G. Colman that each lid is worth 10 cents towards Breast Cancer! What fundraisers do you do?

  8. Hi Mrs.D the I make a difference is by donating money to animal shelters and giving books I don’t read anymore to people who need them. Those are just small things, but giving back to my community is ( in my own way) not small at all. Sometimes my brother and I go to help out in our church by altar serving, and helping out anyway we can. If you had a chance to give back to your community and help make it a better would you take the chance? Why?

    ~aliciahk

  9. Hello Mrs.Donofrio,
    I donate food at food banks. Every year we have the food drive and I donate food in barrels. I do smile at people I greet. They always smile back and it makes you feel good. I volunteer at englewood sailing association. I volunteer usually 3-6 hours on Saturdays. I also have chores that I do around the house like vaccuming, taking out my dogs,etc. Do you volunteer anywhere?

  10. Hello Mrs. Donofrio
    I give food to places like the red cross. Yes I smile when I greet people. No I do not volunteer. I do help my mom do chores at my house. I think I make a diference by helping people in the world.

  11. Hi Mrs. Donofrio I make a difference by helping my mom around the house. I do smile at people that I greet and most of the time they smile back at me. I don’t volenteer besause I have no time besause of school, sports, and other stuff but now I’ve been trying to make more time to help out any way I can. I can’t wait till the end of the year so I can see how many charity hours I did. By the way I did the survey and picked the walk a thon. What did you pick for the survey.

  12. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    I think it would be a wonderful idea to raise money for the people in Sudan. I picked the walk for water ( Walk-athon). It also put down a lemonade stand because, here in Florida it is easy to make a lot of money rather than up in the North.

    1. Doing the fund-raisers.
    2. Yes
    3. Yes
    4. I help around the house usually. I especially help around the house when my mom or dad is busy or injured.
    5. I will help my nieces with their homework.

  13. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    Yes, I do work around the house and I smile when I greet people. Those are all great things to do but even better we can raise money for this fabulous cause. When I was younger I helped a cause for St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital. Maybe a year or two ago. I got a letter back from them saying thank you to me. I sent in all $265 dollars. I plan to volunteer as much as possible. I love helping people. When I get older I know I will put many smiles on many other people’s faces. What Is your favorite way to help out? I know you have so many choices to choose from. Hope to blog you later.
    ~Hannah~

  14. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    I smile at people I meet. I volunteer every other week. I altar serve for the church. I help do chores around the house everyday, and help clean. I voted for H2O project and the donating cans project. I think those are great ideas. What do you think we should do?
    ~Louis

  15. Hi Mrs. D!

    In Chicago, I used to serve in a homeless shelter. I have been going there since I was 2 years old. We would cook food to bring to the shelter, and then, we would serve the homeless dinner. Have you ever volunteered anywhere? John

  16. Hi Mrs.Donofrio,
    Me and my family donate to many charities. We actually give money every month to a family we knew that is now in Peru. They gave up everything they had in Venice and now teach about Jesus and how to become a christian. My dad also goes to homeless shelters and treats people who are ill. We went there every Sunday and served at a soup kithchen there, usually bringing some cookies or other desserts. We should maybe go on a fieldtrip to one of those soup kithchens and bring food for them. Did you ever work at a soup kitchen or anything thing like that? – Ben

  17. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    I enjoyed reading A Long Walk Too Water. when I was reading it I didn’t know that it based on a real story. I like the idea of having a bake sale and a winter dance. I tell people that is it okay to be catholic. I do smile when people greet. I volunteer at my school to help with our pancake breakfast and forth of July party.

  18. Dear Mrs. Donofrio,

    Every week I take out the recycling bins and trash for my family. I also do weeding whenever our lawn needs it. I always smile at people when I see them and I make sure I add in a nice “hello”. Every time I drink soda out of a can, I give it to my mom. I do that because, she gives all the tabs we collect and give it to a hospital that builds wheel chairs out of them.

    Mitch

  19. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    I used to help around at my church in NJ. I would light the candle, sweep around, and I would decorate the 9/11 memorial site. I would also hand out bulletins. I made a little difference because normally some elderly people, including my grandparents, would do the all of the work, so doing these tiny things helped them a little bit each time. I was part of the CCD and I thought it was fun, even though the priest would d do all the flowers over again after me. I do not volunteer anymore though. I think I voted for a bake sale or movie night, because they are really fun ways to earn the money. The bake sale would be a huge hit.
    -Audrey

  20. Dear Mrs. Donofrio
    One thing I do to make a difference is I help around my house. Every week I help my Grandma mow her lawn. At my house I also mow the lawn, do the dishes and take out the trash. My parents appreciate me mowing my Grandmas lawn.
    -Franklin

  21. Hey Mrs.Donofrio,
    I try to make people happy and help them. Because who wants to live in a world with sad and angry people? I like to help my classmates with their homework or make them laugh if they are having a bad day! I try to give the best advice as possible when people ask for it.
    ~Mercedes

  22. Hi Mrs.Donofrio!,
    I do smile at people I greet. I volunteer around the house by taking the trash out, walking my dogs, and cleaning up around the house. Since I love animals my dad and I have decided to volunteer at an animal shelter we still don’t know which one or when yet but soon!-Sydney

  23. Hi Mrs. D
    I try to help people out whenever I get the opportunity too. I alter serve at church every day before school and every other Sunday. At my swim practice I am in charge of teaching the new swimmers how to swim the four strokes. My family donates to All Faiths Food Bank and also we collect thing from friends and family that they have no use for such as clothes, towels, shoes, and food, etc. All the things that we collect we give to the people in Immokalee who are poor and can’t afford anything. We do as much as we can to help because they can’t afford electricity, food, clothing and they are farm workers. I volunteer at bible camp in the summertime at church. I do chores around my house and walk some dogs in my neighborhood. On the survey I said that we could have a Winter Dance and a Movie Night because they sound like really fun ways to raise money for a good cause.

  24. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    Every so often, I stay home and watch my little brother after he’s done with his therapy, to help him walk without crutches, while my mother is picking up my sister after school. My family helps orphans come to the U.S. for Christmas and in the summer. I don’t always have time to volunteer, but if time and my siblings’ schedules permit, I try to volunteer. What are your family’s favorite places to volunteer at?

  25. Hi Mrs.D! As you know from Cogan We do a duct tape sale on my driveway. I love doing that it is fun and it is a good deed too! In the summer and middle of school I go to the Humane Society. Have you been there? In the survey I picked the bake sale and movie night. I remember one year we did a movie night for InStride. See you tomorrow.

    • Oh I almost forgot I helped at the Vacation Bible camp. That was REALLY fun with all of the little kids and your daughter too!See ya!

  26. Hey Mrs. Donofrio
    I try to do as much as I can to help anyone. I like to help around the house and also I like making people happy. I hope that I am able to help a lot of people with anything they need.
    -Molly

  27. Hi Mrs.Donorfrio,

    One thing I like to do to make a difference in peoples life is, volunteering. My mom works for the Keep Sarasota County Beautiful committee. It’s basically a program where they do clean ups all around SRQ county! I’ve done clean-ups on the beach, sides of 41,and in neighborhoods. It’s little things like that you can do to make a difference in peoples life and keep the earth clean for them too. What do you like to do?

    ~Brooke

  28. Hey Mrs.Donofrio, I made a difference by volunteering to put new mulch in the playground at our school. I took the survey and I voted for the walk-a-thon because I love to exercise.

  29. Hi Mrs. Donofrio
    I try helping out every way I can around the houses stiles it’s the dishes, cutting the grass, cleaning up after dinner, or taking out my dogs. Everytime I meet a new person I try to be kind and greet them well with a smile on my face.

    -Frankie

  30. Sometimes to make a difference in people’s lives I recycle and donate money to chairity. And in the house I usualy sweep and mop

  31. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,

    I’m a grade 6 student in Ms. Smiths class. I think that your class is doing a really nice thing to be raising awareness for the people in this world who can hardly ever get clean water, that stuff really makes a difference. One more thing have a great BIRTHDAY!!!.

    ~Evan L.

  32. Hi Mrs. Donofrio

    I can make a difference by doing a fundraiser and earning money for the sick and the needy. It makes me feel good to put a smile on someone’s face! On the survey I choose a movie night because I think it’s a great idea to have fun and watch a movie for a good cause! Mrs. Donofrio, if you pick the movie idea, what movie do you plan on picking?
    Evan

    • Hi Evan,
      I’m not sure which movie we would show on a movie night. I do know that we would have popcorn, candy, and soda and turn the cafeteria into a theater. In the past we watched Facing the Giants and Remember the Titans”. Do you have any ideas for a movie?
      ~Mrs. Donofrio

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