By Maureen Vandersanden
Correspondent
Students at Washington-Caldwell School joined thousands of others from across the country in making one young girl’s Christmas wish come true.
Eight-year old Safyre Terry, Schenectady, N.Y., who lost her entire family to arson on May 2, 2013 and was left severely burned herself, made a simple request this season to lift her spirits – to fill up her Christmas card tree with greetings.
Since the young girl’s aunt and legal guardian Liz Dolder has taken Terry’s request to Facebook, the response has been overwhelming, according to an article from the Washington Post.
At Washington-Caldwell School, more than 150 students got to work in creating holiday greetings for the young burn victim, that were mailed for a place on her tree.
“Sometimes the simplest gifts can have the biggest impact,” said Kelly Unrath, who led the local effort. “We educate and role model to our students not just the curriculum, but also the human side of life – moments of kindness and caring. This project just felt right.”
Seventh grader Zoie Kinjerski brought the idea to Unrath’s attention after hearing about “Cards for Safyre”
“She thought that it would be a wonderful way for the students to give back and brighten another child’s holidays. I agreed,” Unrath said.
Other teachers and students were eager to get involved, according to Unrath.
“One of the classes went so far as to make an activity book for her with pictures and letters on one page and an activity on the other, like mazes, word searches and crosswords,” she said.
Sixth grader Amber Martin said she was glad to send well wishes from Wisconsin, noting the trauma that the child has been through– the loss of her father and three younger siblings to the May 2, 2013 fire and more than 65 surgeries including the amputation of her foot resulting from the arson.
“She is so spirited despite all of the surgeries and everything she has gone through,” Martin said.
For sixth grader Jennifer Weir, participating meant making Terry’s Christmas merrier.
“She has been through a lot of terrible things,” she said, adding that such an outpouring will make this Christmas better than the previous two years which she has spent recovering and without her immediate family.
Unrath said getting students involved provided an outlet for them to reach out and change the world around them.
“I want them to have these experiences – and to change one person’s life, to make it happier, is a great place to begin,” she said. “The outpouring of kindness and simple gestures made me very proud of our students.”
Those wishing to send Terry a card can send it to: Safyre Terry, P.O. Box 6126, Schenectady, NY 12306.
-
-
-
-
-