INS Y N C H
compiled by LESLIE GRAHAM
Te holiday season is not just about re- ceiving, but about giving. Synchronized skating teams have found many unique ways to give back to those in need within their communities. Below are five synchronized skating programs and teams that volunteer for unique nonprofit organizations throughout the year.
CHICAGO JAZZ
Chicago FSC, Rolling Meadows, Illinois NIGHT NIGHT BAGS
Each year, the Chicago Jazz synchronized
skating teams work together to support various organizations focused on serving the needs of children and families in the Chicago area. At all levels, Jazz team members embrace the opportu- nity to serve a cause and work together to make a difference.
Te Chicago Jazz 2014 volunteer projects
included: • Preparing and serving a home cooked Labor Day dinner for 65 families staying at the Ron- ald McDonald House at Lurie Children’s Hos- pital in Chicago
• Assembling and packing 21,000 meals shipped to Africa through Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), making it possible for FMSC to feed 59 impoverished children for a full year
• Collecting toys for children in need during the holiday season that were then donated to Toys
Mini Mates partnered with Cradles to Crayons to provide clothing for children in need in the state of Massachusetts. for Tots and a local children’s hospital
• (Juvenile team) Preparing “Night Night Bags,” which provide a blanket, bedtime book and stuffed animal to women with children seek- ing refuge from domestic violence at the Crisis Center of South Suburbia. Trough community service initiatives, Jazz skaters develop compassion as they identify ways to respond to the needs of others. In addition, camaraderie and team spirit are strengthened as skaters work together on and off the ice.
The Chicago Jazz juvenile team participated in Project Night Night, which benefits women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence in the Chicago area.
Hayden Recreation Centre FSC, Lexington, Massachusetts
CRADLES TO CRAYONS Te Mini Mates partnered with Cradles to
Crayons for a winter clothing drive that began on Nov. 20 and ran for one month. Te Mini Mates did a tremendous job marketing to the other Hayden teams, their friends and families and the community to collect coats, mittens, pants, shirts, boots and age-appropriate books. By spreading the word, the Mini Mates donated 80 bags, which resulted in the support of more than 400 children in need. Tis collection was the larg- est for Cradles to Crayons in 2014 and is a prime example of youth leadership in the community. In addition to the winter drive, the Mini Mates have signed up to volunteer for a shift at the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory in Brighton, Massa- chusetts, in March, where they will roll up their sleeves to sort, inspect and package donations for children in need throughout Massachusetts. Cradles to Crayons distributes more than 18,000 packages of winter items to children liv- ing in homeless and low-income situations in Massachusetts, free of charge. Partnering with goal-oriented groups such as the Mini Mates is key to Cradles to Crayons, as it relies on com- munity donations. Each week this winter, Cradles to Crayons will receive at least 1,300 requests for services.
PRECISELY RIGHT SC of Morris N.J., Morristown, New Jersey
PROMISE WALK FOR PREECLAMPSIA Precisely Right synchronized skating team of
Morristown, New Jersey, is a leader in the com- 36 FEBRUARY 2015
MINI MATES JUVENILE
PHOTO BY CURTIS BARNES
PHOTO BY NANA LEE
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