News & Views
Country School Holds Fourth Annual Kyle A. Markes Day of Service
Members of the ninth grade class led more than 300 New Canaan Country School students and their parents to serve the wide-ranging needs of 13 local non-profit organizations this weekend. They were participating in the fourth annual Kyle A. Markes Day of Service in honor of a classmate who passed away in 2013. The day-long event was held April 7 throughout Fairfield County and also on the school’s campus, in New Canaan. VIEW PHOTOS.
Volunteer groups washed windows and performed an indoor-outdoor seasonal clean-up at The Boys and Girls Clubs of America (Stamford); raked leaves and prepared food trays at Inspirica (Stamford); sorted and stocked deliveries for the food pantry at New Covenant Center (Stamford); prepared grocery bags at Person-To-Person (Norwalk); cleaned up a playground and planted spring flowers at the Open Door Shelter (Norwalk); spent time playing games and making crafts with residents at the New Canaan Inn; played Family Feud and sang karaoke with seniors at the Waveny Care Center Nursing Home (New Canaan); participated in charity low-impact barre class in support of the ELM Project and Camp AmeriKids at Pure Barre (Darien); compiled first aid kits for Americares of Norwalk; created flash cards, and tutored ESL students at Building One Community (Stamford); packed personal hygiene kits for the homeless population served by Family & Children’s Agency (Norwalk); made fleece blankets for the babies in the NICU and cards and necklaces for the mothers comforted by The Tiny Miracles Foundation (New Canaan); and prepared cards and gift bags for pediatric patients of Yale’s Smilow Cancer Center (New Haven).
On Friday, April 6, over 80 students participated in a charity basketball tournament named “Markes Madness” in Kyle’s honor. Twenty-two 4-person teams comprised of Middle (grades 5 and 6) and Upper School (grades 7-9) students, competed in a spirited 3v3 tournament. Proceeds from the games will benefit Horizons, a program which builds brighter futures for K-12 low-income students by providing opportunities and cultivating achievement.
During the tournament half-time, Jackqueline Mclean-Markes, standing alongside her husband, Walter Markes, thanked the crowd of over 150 students, parents and returning alumni. “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.”
The two-days of activities were organized by event co-chairs Davina Lilley and Melinda Stewart in co-ordination with the school’s Service Learning Co-Directors, Kathryn Kravec and Will McDonough.
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.
