Gift bags, balloons and 800 pieces of cake filled the cafeteria at Sashabaw Middle School on May 19 as the school hosted a unique birthday celebration. However, the party wasn’t for anyone in the school. In fact, it wasn’t for anyone they knew at all.
SMS recently paired up with the Lighthouse of Clarkston to help support the organization’s Birthday Club program. The school hoped to create 75 ‘birthday bags?, a collection of hats, cake mixes, party decorations and gifts, that are donated to families in need in the Clarkston area. The school not only met their goal, they exceeded it. By the end of the day on May 19, more than 150 bags had been donated and the celebration supplies kept coming.
‘It was a small idea that just blossomed,? Gail Berman, SMS teacher, said amidst tears as classroom after classroom brought down the brightly-colored bags. Berman suggested the idea to the school after hearing about the Lighthouse’s program that was in need of help.
Each birthday bag contains the basic supplies for a child’s birthday party with friends. Basic supplies, such as cups, napkins and utensils, are included in the bags along with the fun decorations and gifts.
Lisa Mujica, emergency service coordinator for the Lighthouse, arrived to pick up the bags and was amazed at the results that overflowed from the cafeteria’s stage.
‘This is cool. I never thought it would be like this,? Mujica said. ‘Birthdays are one thing our clients don’t have extra money for. If we can help with the little extras, it’s one less thing to worry about.?
According to Mujica, birthdays are the first thing to go when budgets are tight. Often mothers won’t remind small children of their birthdays so not to get their hopes up. With the Birthday Club, bags of new items are ready for mothers to pick up. Mothers simply have to let the Lighthouse one month before an upcoming birthday.
The Birthday Club has been helping moms for the past seven years. On average, about 25-30 bags are handed out each month.
‘It’s a feeling that when we see stuff like this, it’s more kids that get to have a birthday party,? Mujica said.
Berman worked with the staff at SMS and the PTA to make the goal of birthday bags a reality. Advisory teams broke students into groups that, in turn, each created a bag to donate. Some groups went with themes, such as Sponge Bob Square Pants, or simply put bags together based on a specific age.
‘They (students) really got on board and did a really great job,? Berman said. ‘They were really excited.?
One reason the project was so successful was that students could identify with the cause they were helping: birthdays.
‘They could all identify with a birthday. This really helps make birthdays special,? Berman said. ‘Hopefully by seeing this, all of them can provide a whole birthday party.?
The students were especially looking forward to hearing stories about how their hard work helped others. The students also learned the benefits of working in a team setting.
‘They realize that working as a team, everyone can help a little and turn out a huge result,? Berman said.
To celebrate the drop-off day for the bags, parent volunteers decorated the entire school with a birthday theme. Custom-made sheet cakes were provided at lower cost to the school for students to put the finishing touches on their birthday bags while enjoying birthday cake.
Because of the hard work of SMS, the Lighthouse now has enough birthday bags for the rest of the year. Before receiving the school’s donation, the Lighthouse had just handed out their last birthday bag.
‘We’ve never gotten a donation like this,? Mujica said. ‘The kids are the ones who really did a great job. This will take care of us for the rest of year. We will use it all.?