By: Ally Horine | Echo
During one of The Village Tree's meetings last summer, the group noticed an overflowing dumpster on campus, filled with discarded belongings of Taylor students who had left at the end of the semester. Most of those belongings were still usable, but dumpster diving is illegal in Upland; therefore, the stuff could not be salvaged.
Junior Village Tree member Sarah McLeester and others in the group decided there was a better use for these cast-offs-create a yard sale and donate the proceeds to a local charity.
"This idea was in the back of our minds all year," McLeester said. "I personally have had experience putting on benefit sales, and feel particularly passionate about it. I love the idea of getting the community involved in supporting good causes, and promoting buying used instead of new."
When deciding on a charity, Village Tree members selected one they know well. Lift was started in fall 2014 by community member Lisa Sells and Director of Honors Programming Jenn Moeschberger. Moeschberger and Sells noticed a need for an after-school program in Upland and talked to The Village Tree about getting involved. Several members volunteered, and McLeester and junior Village Tree member Julia Nellessen interned with Lift this semester.
Lift is a faith-based after-school program that emphasizes whole-person growth, academic achievement and spiritual nurture. It is designed to help Eastbrook students achieve their full academic potential as well as grow in their relationships with God. The idea for the program stemmed from Sells' vision to serve her town. She has been involved in the community in many ways, including volunteer experience with various committees and civic groups.
"One passion that has come from my service is the commitment to really love Upland, and to give myself to helping it prosper for as long as God leaves our family here," Sells said. "It seems that one easy-but very critical-way to help the communities that God places all of us in is to help the local public school. So, Lift is a way for those of us in this community to partner together to help our school and its children."
Since its beginning, Lift has seen significant success. Almost all of the students' reading scores have remained the same or improved. Along with academic improvements, the students have made incredible gains in their self confidence and self-esteem at school and at home, according to McLeester.
To help foster growth and create awareness for Lift, The Village Tree is partnering with the student body to participate in a yard sale. The biggest impact students can make on this effort comes through donations.
"We need students to be proactive and start sorting through their stuff to see what they don't want to take home, or simply don't want anymore," McLeester said. "Then they need to take all of that stuff and put in the marked boxes in their hall before May 16."
Students can also contribute by donating baked goods for the sale. The hope is to create a bridge between the two communities and to give students an opportunity to invest in Upland.
The sale takes place on May 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All proceeds will go to Lift, and any remaining items will be donated to the Helping Hand.
