On Sunday, May 3, Tabor Academy, through the efforts of senior Samantha Davis, will stage an event, called The Hope Factory, to help make the lives of hospitalized children a bit brighter. The community is invited to join the Message of Hope Foundation and Tabor Academy and enjoy an afternoon of food, fun activities for children of all ages, along with a chance to help out in an easy but impactful way! Join in an effort to pack as many Happy Hope Bags as possible with fun children’s activities, such as coloring books and crayons, stickers, puzzles and more for hospitalized children. The event is free and open to the public, rain or shine!
Davis has learned through her association with the Wareham-based Message of Hope Foundation that being hospitalized is very isolating for children. “We have so many opportunities at Tabor, to play sports, take classes, be creative and enjoy our friends, things these kids can’t do while they are sick. Doing something to let them know that there are people who care about them and are thinking of them is really important while their lives are put on hold. I hope our effort will cheer the children and each participant in our event as we remember how lucky we all are to just be together and to be healthy. This is a great community-bonding opportunity for us all: a way to help and have fun together.”
Davis is implementing all the details of this community day as part of her senior project at Tabor Academy. She is interning at the Message of Hope Foundation, a group she became familiar with through the schools’ fall Service Morning program when she participated in a similar event and met the Director, Emi Burke, of Wareham, MA. She became hooked on the mission and has kept in touch with Ms. Burke throughout the year, pledging to lead this effort in May. To learn more about the Message of Hope Foundation, you can visit their website at http://www.messageofhopefoundation.org.
Davis is also working with the foundation to visit children in participating local hospitals as a “celebrity guest.” Recently a member of the gold medal USA National team for U-18 Women’s Hockey, Davis is excited to visit children in her USA jersey and share her gold medal and her story with the children. “I learned when meeting many Olympians through the National Team how important volunteerism and being a role model was to them. I am really looking forward to now making my own impact as a volunteer and role model through this event and my visits with the children.”
Davis says, “Please join us! Bring the family and enjoy the afternoon’s events, pack some gift bags, and enjoy the community spirit! Also, if you are able to contribute one or more coloring books to share in our bags, it would be a great help!”
More information about the Message of Hope Foundation may be found at their website: http://www.messageofhopefoundation.org.