On Sunday, February 25, more than 18 families joined together to do service and tour Westminster Neighborhood Services' Near-Eastside facility. The event, sponsored by Panther Kids Care and Park Tudor's Community Engaged Learning program, involved parents and their children turning t-shirts into grocery bags. The 153 bags created by families (and cards created by the younger children) will be distributed to Westminster's food pantry clients. Thanks to the PT community for contributing hundreds of t-shirts through February's t-shirt drive! The drive was organized with the help of Mr. Holobek's 4th grade students; MS students Hannah Loewen, Catherine Niculescu, Victoria Sullivan, and Elena Thomas; and US student Megan Chapelle.
Panther Kids Care (PKC) was started nearly four years ago by a group of Park Tudor Lower School families with shared goals of serving the community, exposing their children to Indy's many needs, and providing children opportunities to learn and serve beside peers. PKC involves mostly PT Lower and Middle School families, and includes several families from other schools. PKC seeks a variety of hands-on, age-appropriate community-based volunteer activities so children can learn at a young age that they have many talents to share with neighbors in need. PKC family service has included neighborhood clean-ups, Thanksgiving meal deliveries, music and crafts with senior living community residents, book and canned food drives, urban farming, and assembly line food packing. All are welcome to join! To be added to the PKC distribution list for future service, please contact Sam and Sarah Hawkins.