New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
The SkillsUSA Community Service Project Team from GNB Voc-Tech helped change the lives of 125 children in the SouthCoast. This team has held numerous donation drives collecting new socks, underwear, toothbrushes, toiletries, and gently used clothing and toys for Gifts to Give since January 2016. The multiple donation drop-off locations were at GNB Voc-Tech High School, EJ’s Restaurant and Deli in Fairhaven, The New Bedford Main Public Library, and Mirasol’s Café in Dartmouth. On Saturday, April 2nd, team members Victoria Gregoire, Alexia Pacheco, and Kelvin San Miguel along with their advisors Henry Bousquet and Jenn Corey delivered their donation collection to Gifts to Give in Acushnet, MA. The final collection filled two cars along with a check for $200 to provide 8 children a care package of new toiletries valued at $25 each.
The SkillsUSA Community Service Project is a competition for SkillsUSA whose purpose is to evaluate local chapter activities that benefit the community and to recognize excellence and professionalism in the area of community service. The competition contains three portions with the donation drive being just one piece. The team must also create a detailed notebook outlining the project and then host a 7-minute presentation for the judges. The GNB Voc-Tech team will be competing at the SkillsUSA
Massachusetts State Leadership and Skills Conference from April 28 through April 30th in Marlborough, MA. The team hopes to qualify to compete at the 52nd Annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky from June 20th through June 24th.
The GNB Voc-Tech students spent an hour and a half on this rainy Saturday at Gifts to Give touring the facility, unloading the donations, sorting the donations and speaking to the founder, Jim Stevens. When Jim asked why they chose Gifts to Give, Alexia stated “because it helps children locally.” This team raised awareness of Gifts to Give at school, inspiring the GNB Voc-Tech Law Society Club to also host two fundraisers for this cause. Volunteering at Gifts to Give is a great way to spend a couple of hours giving back to our community. We wish the SkillsUSA Community Service Project Team from GNB Voc-Tech best of luck on their competition, but regardless of winning they are already Champions at Work.
