1. What is Project 351 and how did you get involved?
Project 351 was a day of community service in honor of governor Deval Patrick's inauguration. It brought kids from every town in Massachusetts into Boston to help out at various organizations.
2. What community service do you take part in currently?
I participate in BookPALS, a program that brings Concord kids into read to 1st-4th graders. I also help out at my church, helping out with the holiday kids' craft fair, and the Secret Santa program, and stuff like that.
3. Describe your day with Project 351.
We all met at Cradles to Crayons in Boston, where we had breakfast, Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray talked to us about what we would be doing, and we were assigned a service site. I went to the Dimock Center (a support center/preschool focused on helping women and children). The center is making room for 100 more toddlers, and I helped paint a room and make fleece blankets for kids if they forget one for nap time. It was really fun, someone had an iPod and we sang along as we painted. At about 3, we drove back to Cradles to Crayons and had another meeting with the governor, including a question and answer section. Then we had dinner, and at about 5:45 we were bussed home.
4. Did you meet any other kids? What were they like?
On the bus into Boston I actually met another girl named Sophie, and we sat together to Boston and back. Sadly she was assigned to a different service site, so we didn't work together. At the Dimock Center I met two other girls, and we had a great time cutting fleece and painting. Everyone was really committed and nice, and they all seemed like they wanted to help out.
5. Did you meet Gov. Patrick or any other public figures?
Gov. Patrick came to the Dimock Center when I was working on blankets, and I got my picture taken with him. He is really nice, not too professional and formal. He seemed really interested in hearing what we had to say and checking in on our work. When we got back Sophie (who had been assigned to the food bank) told me that she had met Ray Allen (from the Boston Celtics). I was jealous, but at least I met the governor!
6. What did you get most out of the experience?
Project 351 helped show everyone, I think, that community service doesn't have to be a big, complicated, and boring thing. All I did was paint a room and tie fringe on blankets, but I know some little kids are going to really appreciate it later. And I had an amazing time, so it barely felt like work at all. Everyone there seemed really inspired to go home and help out in their own communities.
