The Community Service Board will raise money to benefit Promise House
Each year, Hockaday’s annual Day of Promise brings in thousands of dollars to benefit Promise House, a shelter for runaway teens. For the past three years, the Community Service Board has hosted the event and this year, on April 14, they aim to raise even more funds.
In the morning, students will sell Chick-fil-A Chick-n- Minis by the ARC entrance. At lunch, seniors can go off campus to Potbelly’s, and for dinner, from 6-9 p.m., Potbelly’s will offer a $5 deal to get a sandwich, cookie and bag of chips. All proceeds made from selling the Chick-fil-A in the morning and 20 percent of all lunch and dinner profits from Potbelly’s on the Day of Promise will go towards Promise House.
The 2013-2014 Community Service Board Chair senior Lucy Wilson said the profits from dinner are usually where the largest amount of money is raised. St. Mark’s sophomore Will Clark will play live at Potbelly’s for dinner. Last year, according to Director of Service Learning Laura Day, more than $2,000 was raised during the Day of Promise. Hockaday does not donate this money to Promise House for any specific program; instead, the organization is free to use the money for whatever programs in which they choose to invest.
Wilson said proceeds last year went towards summer programs. “Since they keep so many teens during the summer, they want to be able to do fun activities with them like take them on day outings or send them to camp,” she said, noting that the money raised this year will probably benefit summer activities as well.
Previously called Chick- Fil-A Day, Day of Promise was created three years ago by Olivia Karahan ’12 and originally benefited the Jubilee Center.
“I loved working at the Jubilee Center every Saturday, and wanted to create an annual fundraiser to give back to that community,” Karahan said.
Hockaday has included St. Mark’s, Jesuit and Ursuline in past years in Day of Promise activities; however, this year the board is extending Day of Promise to as many schools and students as possible by inviting Greenhill and ESD as well.
The week leading up to and on the Day of Promise, the Community Service Board will sell T-shirts for $15 with “hope” spelled in sign language on the front. All proceeds from the T-shirts will go towards Promise House as well.
– Charlsea Lamb
