Participants in the Firewall Centers’ After-School Program learn firsthand what it means to serve others at the 3rd annual Serve-A-Thon
DAVIE, Fla. (May 1st, 2016) –On Saturday, April 30th, over 400 Firewall Centers’ students, their mentors, staff, and volunteers engaged in service projects throughout Broward County as a part of the agency’s third annual Serve-A-Thon presented by Regent Bank. This event not only impacts the community, but teaches Firewall students the value of serving others. Firewall Centers is a nonprofit organization based in Davie that runs daily after-school programs in eight Broward public middle and high schools. The program helps kids achieve academic success, build character and teaches them to be servant leaders.
“It was a pleasure for Regent Bank to sponsor the 3rd annual Firewall Serve-A-Thon,” said Giselle Bayona, vice president/commercial loan officer of Regent Bank and a Firewall Centers’ board member. “What a privilege to see over 400 kids and volunteers serving our community. These kids are the future of our country; it is so important to teach them how to serve others in order to become great leaders.”
Students started early in the morning with a breakfast graciously donated by Walmart. Firewall Students from Blanche Ely High, Pompano Beach Middle and Plantation Middle served at Fort Lauderdale’s Snyder Park by mulching trails, painting picnic tables and restoring the butterfly garden.
A group from Bair Middle in Sunrise and Lauderhill 6-12 STEM-MED sorted and packaged meals for the hungry at Feeding South Florida in Pembroke Park.
Western High and Indian Ridge Middle School students helped restore the Ann Storck Center in Fort Lauderdale, where nearly 300 children and young adults with physical and mental disabilities live.
Firewall students from Crystal Lake Middle in Pompano Beach fed the homeless and gave them clothes in partnership with Hope South Florida.
“The students were very enthusiastic. You could just see them in the future as outstanding adults by the way they served now as children,” said Pat Colangelo, Director of Community Engagement and Associate Director of Operations for Trinity International University Florida.
Joining the students were volunteers from Lifework Leadership and Regent Bank, who for the third year in a row has been the presenting sponsor for the Serve-A-Thon. Regent Bank team members across Broward and Palm Beach County fundraised in their local offices to support Firewall’s growth. Their support was invaluable to the success of the annual event.
Once the service projects were completed, all of the students and volunteers gathered at Snyder Park for a celebration that included lunch, a dance contest and games.
