Westover Students Donate $13,481 to Seven Organizations

Westover School’s Class of 2016 has allocated $13,481 to seven organizations ranging in focus from international relief programs to the health and development needs of children, using proceeds from the annual Dorcas Fair held at the School earlier this year.

The Dorcas Fair is a fundraising event planned and organized each year by the members of the junior class. The philanthropic program dates back to the founding of Westover in 1909. In recent years, the allocation of donations has been coordinated in conjunction with the Connecticut Community Foundation, based in Waterbury.

Three members of the junior class elected by the student body plan and coordinate the fair each year. This year’s Dorcas Heads were Nola Iwasaki of Southbury, Claire Donovan of Brewster, N.Y., and Isabelle Morrissey of New Milford. This year’s faculty advisor was Cathie Hillian, who also serves as Westover’s Director of Diversity and as a school counselor.

The Dorcas Fair, which featured a Wizard of Oz theme this year, raised funds through games, carnival activities, silent auction prizes, and refreshments. Members of Westover faculty and parents volunteered to assist members of the Class of 2016 in staffing the event.

The Dorcas heads allocated donations to the organizations based on recommendations from their classmates. Allocations to individual organizations ranged from $1,000 to $3,833.

The seven organizations receiving Dorcas funds this year are:

• Doctors without Borders USA, based in Hagerstown, Maryland, which provides medical care to people in nearly 70 countries worldwide, saving lives threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe. Doctors Without Borders received $3,833.
• Shriners Hospitals for Children, based in Ranson, West Virginia, provides health care and treatment for children with needs in the areas of orthopedics, burn care, spinal cord injury, and cleft lip and palate. Shriners Hospitals for Children was allocated $3,354.
• The Alzheimer’s Association, based in Chicago, Illinois, provides support for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. The organization received $2,294.
• The U.S. Fund for UNICEF, based in New York City, supports the work of this United Nations organization on behalf of children worldwide through fundraising, advocacy, and education. UNICEF was allocated $1,000.
• Girls Inc. of Greater Waterbury, which based in Waterbury, provides programs for girls in the areas of careers and college planning, economic literacy, health and fitness, leadership and community action, sports opportunities, substance abuse prevention, and the development of skills in self-esteem, self-reliance, and life skills. Girls Inc. was given $1,000.
• The Petit Family Foundation, based in Plantsville, honors the memories of Jennifer Hawke-Petit, Hayley Elizabeth Petit, and Michaela Rose Petit to foster the education of young people, especially women in the sciences; to improve the lives of those affected by chronic illnesses; and to support efforts to protect and help those affected by violence. The Foundation was allocated $1,000.
• Westover’s Community Service Trip Fund in Memory of Eileen Tateo-Beebe P’10 and Meghan Beebe ’10, was established to continue the tradition of the Appalachia community service trip undertaken by Westover students each summer, as well as strengthen the custom of community service within the Westover community. This summer’s community service trip to Kentucky, which will include a day camp program for children in Jackson County as well as home improvement projects, will be given $1,000 to help defray trip expenses.

The Class of 2016 dedicated this year’s Dorcas Fair in memory of Meghan Beebe.

Caption: Westover’s Dorcas Heads (from left) — Juniors Isabelle Morrissey of New Milford, Claire Donovan of Brewster, New York, and Nola Iwasaki of Southbury led this year’s Dorcas Fair, a junior class project that raised $13,481 for seven charitable organizations. This year’s fair had a Wizard of Oz theme.