A Thrill of Hope...

The Christmas Project is an annual event where the Rosslyn community voluntarily provides financial and/or material assistance for worthy local charities. Through this, God’s love is shown to those who are less fortunate. A committee of Rosslyn staff members receive applications and review them to identify particular “projects” which will help change lives and to see that all the funds given are used as intended.  Students take initiative to raise money through bake sales, toy drives, doing extra chores at home, class projects and other creative ways.  This project seeks to teach the value in working together, being generous, and giving back to the community.  In the past few years Rosslyn has been able to help a number of charitable organizations in significant ways.
--http://rosslynacademy.org/student-life/service-and-leadership/

This year, three projects were chosen:

Christmas Project Main Video

At school, when the kids are introduced to the projects, instead of focusing on the amount, Rosslyn focuses on involvement-each student, family, staff member doing something to share what they can for a specific need. We could tell that Claire was thinking this over. This is our generous girl who plans birthday parties around the idea of giving away the gifts, so we should’ve known she’d think of something. Early in the month, her class had done a healthy snack sale, and we had sponsored a neighbor to do a fun-run. She wanted to give more, so she came to us with an idea, “We could make Christmas cookies and sell them. People like cookies.”

Sign making is serious!

She was right! So, together as a family we made and decorated 8 dozen sugar cookies and baked up an additional 8 dozen of Kirk’s famous chocolate chip cookies (with the added festive color from some holiday M&Ms we were sent!).

Decorating cookies

Little did we know that in another staff family, the five year old daughter had a similar idea--she wanted to do a lemonade stand. We decided to join forces because what better snack can you have than cookies and lemonade?

So, one Friday after school, we set up our table to get the traffic of hungry middle- and high-schoolers. Those two girls were on to something!

Claire and her friend ready for business!

The cookies sold out, only a little of the koolaid was left, and we gave their earnings to the Chaplain, Mr. McGee. From the work of two big-hearted little girls, more than $60 was added to the total Christmas Project donations. And many “big kids” were inspired by them to find their own ways to contribute as well.

Turning over the proceeds to the Chaplain, Mr. McGee.

This year’s goal was 950,000 kes (about $9,300). All in all, we raised almost double that: more than 1.6m kes (more than $15,600)! The incredible thing is that most of it came in in 50 shilling (~ $.50) increments like at their cookie stand!

On the last day before break, they invited each group to an assembly and were able to present them all with funds above and beyond what they had requested. They were even able to give to an organization that was the 4th runner up. The generosity was incredible. The feeling of giving it all away was overwhelming.

The first grade classes did a one-shilling collection (it would be the same as collecting all those “useless” pennies lying around) and their explanation said it all: “They may be small, but together they can do much!”

Here’s to giving. To not being afraid that it’s “not enough.” To thinking of ways to help others. To sharing.

She was a great saleswoman; really hustled!