Sweets and some soul for Valentine’s Day

The second annual Valentine’s Day Bake Sale at Visitation Academy proved to be a sweet and selfless surprise.

Principal and organizer of the event Arlene Figaro stood proud and pleased amidst two long tables filled to capacity with assortments of cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and other incredible, donated confections.

This year, the involved students, parents and faculty are raising money for the Stephen Siller Foundation—an organization that aids in building “smart homes” for America’s wounded warriors, members of the military who have been seriously injured and are aided by living in a home that has special accommodations for their needs.

When asked if they baked all of the goodies themselves, a few of the girls replied with a shy smile and a, “no, we wish.” Pointing to a pink piece of paper taped to the edge of a table, one of the students explained, “Each item has its own price.”

With $4,000 raised in last year’s bake sale — which was dedicated to amassing funds to be channeled through the Siller Foundation to help construct a “smart home” for Fort Hamilton High School graduate PFC Bryan Dilberian, who lost three limbs when a roadside bomb exploded while he was on routine patrol in Afghanistan in August, 2011 — the vitality of the participating students and volunteers was contagious.

Like a well-oiled machine, students took to the tables, picked out their favorite treats, and brought them to a pay station run by two energetic young students.

“It is important for the children to understand that they need to help others that are less fortunate,” remarked Figaro. “It teaches them about love. It teaches them about kindness.”

For more information on this remarkable cause, visit www.buildingforamericasbravest.org.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.