Greater Philadelphia Cares at Cook Wissahickon School

It was a perfectly crisp and sunny, Autumn Saturday in Roxborough. Many people sipped coffee on a porch, or met with friends for breakfast at Le Bus. But a handful of people offered their Saturday to service for 18th annual Philly Cares Day. Volunteers at Cook Wissahickon School gathered in the school’s library at 10 a.m. to attack a few much needed landscaping and organizational projects around the school.

School staff, parents, neighbors and members of the University City Kiwanis Club served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the service project gave many a sense of pride.

"I like to volunteer because it makes me feel good to give back to my community," Sara Zulueta, a freshman at Drexel University said as she put a fresh coat of paint along a hallway wall.

John Govednick, also a volunteer,  is a part of a grass-roots community group called Neighbors Enhancing the Wissahickon. The group aims to be a bridge between renters and owners in the Manayunk-Roxborough-Wissahickon area. A number of group members came out to help, one of which took to the power tools to trim the bedraggled hedges. 

Cook Wissahickon faculty member Rebecca Dondero has coordinated projects for the Greater Philadelphia Cares day every year since it started, and was on site with Principal Karen Thomas and 8th grade teacher Diane Powers to do some filing and classroom cleanup. Dondero is not paid overtime, and in fact, took money out of her own pocket to provide the snacks for the event. 

Overall it was a great day for all who volunteered, and a much appreciated work by all those benefited as they entered the school on Monday Morning.