Presents stacked to the ceiling, elves walking the hallways, holiday tunes turned all the way up… sounds like we’re at the North Pole, right? While that may be true, the Bellmore-Merrick community only had to travel to Brookside School to be transported to such a winter wonderland. On Saturday, December 8, 2018, our local Lion’s organization teamed up with BMCHSD’s Leos clubs to host their annual holiday party for local underprivileged families.

This special occasion was Polar Express themed, with each child holding a ticket that gave them the opportunity to receive a present from Santa and his helpers. Families were also able to bring home clothes, toiletries, and other goods that they needed. The day was filled with fun things for the children and their families to do; face painting, photo booth pictures, and petting goats were a few activities on everybody’s to-do list!

Even though the day feels much more like a celebration than volunteer work, this annual event has been a great way for Mepham students to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Noah Lashin, a junior at Mepham, said, “The holiday party is one of my favorite days of the year. Seeing how happy it makes the kids and their families reminds me why volunteering is so important: to make someone else’s day a little easier.”