Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn gives back for the holidays

The school community at Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn spent the holiday season once again giving back to the community in a variety of ways.  In mid-November, dedicated students and staff spent an afternoon at the Neponsit Beach, Queens home of businessman, community activist and longtime Adelphi supporter Joseph Mure Jr., Esq. setting up for his Annual Little North Pole event, which took place on Sunday, December 4.  The annual holiday extravaganza — which Adelphi is proud to support and sponsor each year — benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and features celebrity cameos and performances.

As part of the setup process, Adelphi’s volunteers unloaded hundreds of life-size decorations and assisted in placing them around the property. Adelphi Art Instructor and Lead Teacher Nikki Fregara also led talented student-artists in designing, building and hand-painting larger-than-life dreidels from scratch.

“Joe is a proud supporter of the academy and a wonderful example to our students of what dedication, community and charity truly means.  It’s our honor and privilege each year to support him and the Little North Pole event, which raises thousands of dollars to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation,” said Adelphi’s Director of Academy Operations and close personal friend to Mure, Albert Corhan.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Adelphi donated hundreds of canned goods to the Salvation Army Bay Ridge Corps through the academy’s annual holiday food drive.  Head of School Iphigenia Romanos welcomed Lieutenant Joel Ashcraft to the academy and presented him with boxes and boxes of food items that had been donated by students and staff throughout the month.

“The annual holiday food drive is always a special initiative at Adelphi,” Romanos said.  “Students donate food items at various intervals throughout the drive and the result is an overflowing supply of much-needed items that are used to benefit directly those in need in time for the holidays.  The students get to see the results of their generosity firsthand as officers from the Salvation Army graciously come to collect these donations and spend some time visiting with the students.”

The month of December has seen the spirit of giving continue at Adelphi, as several charitable events are already underway. Following the success of the food drive, students and staff have been donating new, unwrapped toys to benefit needy families as part of the academy’s annual holiday toy drive.

Also underway is Adelphi’s annual Special Trees for Special Needs Holiday Tree Drive, through which supporters are asked to sponsor a real, six-foot-tall holiday tree that will be on display on the academy’s historic grounds through January 9, 2017, illuminating both the surrounding beautiful country campus as well as the generosity of each sponsor. The tree drive benefits Adelphi’s award-winning Project Succeed Program for college bound students with special needs.

Trees sponsored by Thursday, December 15 were incorporated into Adelphi’s annual holiday tree lighting ceremony set for that evening at 6:30 p.m. The event features a live holiday musical performance from students and faculty, hot chocolate and holiday cookies for guests and custom ornaments for all attendees. For information on tree sponsorship opportunities, contact Adelphi at 718-238-3308 or visit adelphi.org.