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A Few Clouds Meadow Elementary School donates to local charity in honor of local veterans on Armed Forces Day
Meadow Elementary School celebrated “Armed Forces Day” to thank and give back to veterans by donating to a local charity.
The PTA, families, and staff recently collected water bottles and t-shirts, raising $1,600 for the non-profit organization, Building Homes for Heroes. The day, celebrated on the third Saturday of May, allows Americans to honor their military and local veterans. The organization helps build and repair homes for injured veterans at no cost.
“The charity embodies all that Meadow Elementary School strives to teach their students about citizenship and how to support each other as Americans,” Linda Sandorfi, a fifth-grade teacher at Meadow Elementary School, said. “Meadow School decided to join in his efforts and have been collecting deposit bottles ever since and donating the money to Building Homes for Heroes.”
This work began nine years ago when Meadow teachers were first introduced to Bill Urianek, a former United States Marine. Sandorfi’s sister, Debra Bennett, who is from Dutch Broadway Elementary School, introduced Urianek to the teachers. In 2004, Urianek, nicknamed “Bill the Can Man,” created a program to raise money for veteran causes, including America’s Vet Dogs and Hope for the Warriors, by collecting recyclables, such as cans of soda, and bottles of water.
By collecting recycled water bottles, organizers and fifth grade teachers, including Sandorfi and Vincenza Simal, said they are proud to support “Bill the Can Man” and Building Homes for Heroes.
“We want our students to understand that the United States of America is a wonderful place to live and that a small act of kindness can have a huge impact,” Sandorfi said. “Kids can make a difference at any age. We want them to also learn how to be compassionate, and empathetic people who are life changers.”
Also, Meadow recently held its own “Armed Forces Day” celebration on the back field, which was in the colors of the American flag. While Urianek and those from Building Homes for Heroes received a check, Meadow faculty members received a “Certificate of Appreciation.” According to a news release, this was “under the ‘grand old, high-flying’ flag, waving from the Baldwin Fire Department’s fire engine ladders against the cloudless sky.”
Along with the celebration, students and staff cherished the war memorabilia exhibit in the Meadow gymnasium. Decorated in red, white, and blue, the facility also highlighted photographs of family members who died.
Both Sandorfi and Simal mentioned that Meadow School is so proud to support “Bill the Can Man” and Building Homes for Heroes by collecting and recycling water bottles. They said it teaches students how one small idea can catch on and grow into something big. Sandorfi and Simal noted the importance of honoring and saying thank you to veterans, past and present, which is, according to them, at the heart of what they do as a community.
—Clare Gehlich
