Stratton Mountain School gives back in service

STRATTON

More than 160 Stratton Mountain School students and staff spent Wednesday, May 4 giving back to local communities through the school’s SMS Gives Back event.

During this annual event, SMS alumni, parents and friends are asked to give back by making a gift to the SMS annual fund, while students and staff volunteer service hours to area nonprofit organizations.

More than $10,000 was raised for the SMS annual fund, and 523 service hours were logged at 10 locations, including Hildene and the Manchester Community Library.

“SMS Gives Back is an incredible opportunity to partner with local nonprofit organizations and support their mission and the amazing work they are doing in our communities. We are so grateful for all the efforts and organizing that our nonprofit friends did to make the day a great success, and to our generous donors,” said SMS Head of School Carson Thurber ’02.

In Manchester, SMS volunteers cleaned gardens and grazing areas at Hildene. “The SMS students were a pleasure to have on the property,” said Katharine Clemow, Hildene’s dvancement & volunteer coordinator. “Their positivity, laughter and hard work was contagious.”

Other groups worked at the Manchester Community Library, organizing books and creating projects for toddlers, completing yard work for Habitat Shires Resale Store and cleaning the Riverwalk, a Manchester walking trail.

In the mountain towns, SMS volunteers divided their time between cleaning the Stratton Rec field, sorting clothing donation bags for Stratton Foundation and completing tasks for Mountain School at Winhall, including erecting a large canvas tent to be used as an outdoor learning space.

A group aided the Green Mountain Club with trail maintenance along the Long Trail. Another set of volunteers completed roadside cleanup in Stratton and Jamaica in preparation for Vermont’s Green Up Day.