“Riley’s Kids” come to school as early as 7:30 AM. It’s a family of between 30 and 40 kids (some of them come only two or three days a week). They are the kids who take advantage of the Riley’s Before School Child Care Program. By 8:45 AM, some of them have eaten breakfast there and all of them are getting ready to go to their classrooms, but they have not been sitting idly. These endearing youngsters are the backbone of Riley’s Community Service projects. They have come to be known as “Riley’s Kids.”

One of the coordinators of the Before School Program, Maryann Soika, explains, “In keeping with the district’s Character Education initiatives and our principal, Mr. Enos’ community service commitments, the Before School Child Care program is creating gifts for the elderly and collecting clothes, backpacks, blankets, mittens and jackets for needy kids in the area. Riley’s Kids can often be found creating or collecting gifts—giving from their hearts and their hands.”

Earlier in the year, many of the girls and some of the guys learned how to crochet and made some beautiful crocheted bags filled with personal hygiene items (tissues, wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush/come, etc). In December the bags will be given to the clients of the East End Hospice in memory of Janine Talmage, a popular young teacher’s aide at Riley, who died at the beginning of the school year.

Kay Duzel, the coordinator of the Before School Program, is also a volunteer at the East End Hospice. “As you know,” she shares, “the hospice patients usually can’t get out of bed without help and the bags Riley’s kids have made will hang from the bedrails of the hospice clients. Our students are learning a life skill,” she continues. “They are learning to give back to their community. They are sharing, caring, committing to, and respecting the terminally ill in our area. The compassion, cooperation, and consideration these youngsters are showing are truly outstanding. We are very proud of them!”

Their latest project has been to collect clothing, boots, blankets, backpacks, sleeping bags, mittens and coats for the needy kids in the area who are serviced by “Maureen’s Haven.” “Maureen’s Haven” is a project that began in the winter of 2002. It is modeled after a program called “A Room in the Inn,” run by Father Charles Strobel in Franklin, TN, and is named for Sister Maureen Michaels, a Dominican Sister who tried to set up a similar program 18 years ago on the East End of Long Island.

“Maureen’s Haven” in conjunction with four East End churches and the Peconic Housing Initiative aims to provide homeless individuals with a hot meal, a bed and a breakfast. The churches provide the meals and safe, warm temporary housing to homeless individuals and families from November through April usually just for a night or two. The Peconic Housing Initiative tries to aid these people by finding them permanent housing.

The representative from the Peconic Housing Inititative, Louise Wilkinson, who also happens to be the President of the District’s Executive PTO Council and a tireless volunteer at the school, was overwhelmed with the generosity of the school’s families and the enthusiasm generated by Riley’s Kids. They had collected three huge boxes filled to overflowing with new and used items of clothing, backpacks and bedding.

“Your generosity is overwhelming,” exclaimed Mrs. Wilkinson as she explained how the items would be used. “We’ve never had a drive of this magnitude. It’s amazing!” She gave each of Riley’s Kids a little thank you note with a volunteer pin they could wear.

“We’re happy to help,” said one little girl named Sarah, who had brought in one of her coats for the drive.

Mrs. Soika adds her own message of thanksgiving, “We thank you, the families of Riley, for your support of our students, our projects, and us.”

Photo caption: (top) Some of Riley's Kids on stage with the items they collected for Maureen's Haven.