Last Saturday the teen room at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich was teeming with volunteers who inventoried thousands of donated toiletries and assembled assortments in bags for men and women in need.
The items included toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, deodorant, soap, body wash, and feminine products – all of which are staples for most people in Greenwich. But for many others, these items are not to be taken for granted.
About 50 volunteers moved from table to table from 11:00am to 1:00pm to assemble the products inside blue bags. Earlier, a different shift of volunteers took on the massive task of counting the items and arranging them on tables.
Among the volunteers were members of the Club’s Torch Club, who organized the drive. Under the supervision of Camryn Ferrara and Ashley Culver, this is a group of boys and girls age 11-13 who undertake activities including service to the Club and the community.
These Torch Club kids were joined by teens from YNET and Jr United Way. Among the afternoon volunteers were 2019 Youth of the Year Michael Rincon, Domenica Echeverria, VP of Development Cristina Vittoria, Teen Coordinator Ryan Accurso, VP of Finance Laura Kelly, Education and Volunteer Coordinator Deelia Wadsworth, local families, and friends including director of Arch Street Teen Center Kyle Silver, GHS football coach John Marinelli, Club alumni Michael Brown, and Susan Scully of Watson’s Catering.
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Ferrara said his friend LaDonna Bigelow, a security guard at Harding High School in Bridgeport, was on hand on Saturday helping in the assembly line effort. He said Ms. Bigelow sometimes uses her own money to purchases toiletry items for students in Bridgeport and that drove home the point that these items are not to be taken for granted.
According to Ferrara, the students will travel to Neighbor to Neighbor to distribute bags of toiletries. They also have plans to drop off bags at Kids in Crisis and distribute bags at the Carver Center in Port Chester and homeless shelters in Stamford.
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Volunteers assembled bags of toiletries at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. Feb 23, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
The Collins volunteered as a family. Pictured with Michael Rincon. Feb 23, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yagera
Marley the French Bulldog is a favorite in the teen room at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. Feb 23, 2019 PHoto: Leslie Yager
Camryn Ferrara an Athletic Coordinator and Torch Club advisor at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich with LaDonna Bigelow who is a security guard and coach at Harding High School in Bridgeport. Feb 23, 2019. Photo: Leslie Yager
Alisa Santangelo, Camryn Ferrara, Alan Waugh and Morgan Abdelnour at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich. Feb 23, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
Michael Brown, Camryn Ferrara and John Marinelli in the teen room at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. Feb 23, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
Kyle Silver, Christine Ferrara and Camryn Ferrara in the teen room at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. Feb 23, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
Michael Brown a Club alumni still has his Club ID from 1972. Feb 23, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
Ana DeMakes and Kyle Silver assembling bags of toiletries at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, Feb 23, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager