Country School’s Day of Service Honors Student’s Legacy
More than 400 New Canaan Country School students and their parents scattered all over lower Fairfield County to volunteer for 14 local nonprofit organizations on Saturday, April 16. They were participating in the second annual NCCS Kyle A. Markes Day of Service in honor of a beloved sixth grader at Country School who passed away at the age of 11 on Christmas Eve of 2013 after a battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. View a photo slideshow and a video of remarks by the Markes family and event organizers.
Kyle is remembered for his kind-hearted and cheerful personality and his commitment to community service. “I am excited that Kyle’s spirit continues to connect people, to strengthen our school and to positively influence the world in which we live,” said the Head of Middle School Kirsten Rosolen who knew Kyle well.
Under sunny, blue skies, families cleared gardens, raked beds and planted flowers at Inspirica (Stamford), the Boys & Girls Club of America (Stamford), the Carver Center (Norwalk), Open Door Shelter (Norwalk), New Canaan Nature Center and Waveny Care Center (New Canaan). They prepped brown bags at Person to Person (Norwalk) for the US Postal Service's Food Drive next month and helped register adults to the National Bone Marrow registry through Delete Blood Cancer. Participants made fleece blankets for the Family & Children’s Agency (Norwalk), painted ceramics for Ben’s Bells (Newtown) and made jump ropes for the Ralphola Taylor Community Center (Bridgeport). Families also donated sneakers to Dunk Your Kicks, which sells “kicks” to developing nations for about a dollar a pair, supporting pediatric leukemia research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.
The day culminated with a basketball tournament on a court dedicated last year in Kyle’s honor. Eighteen 4-person teams comprised of Middle and Upper School students, including many of Kyle’s former classmates, competed in a spirited 3 v 3 tournament. Proceeds from the games benefit Horizons at New Canaan Country School.
Before the tournament began Jackque Markes, standing alongside her husband, Walter, and daughter, Kayonne, thanked the crowd. “We know that Kyle is smiling down on us. He was all about service and this is the best way to honor him. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
“There is something to be said for the ‘second’ annual KAM Day of Service,” said Director of Community Development Lynn Sullivan whose office organized the event along with the school’s Parents’ Association. “It signifies our capacity to remain committed to the meaning of the day, to each other and to the community around us.”
New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
