This February, Blake HS will be participating in the Pennies for Patients High School Challenge sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This program challenges Montgomery County schools to various components, asking students to raise awareness and funds for the society through school-wide and community events.

Remember to donate to Pennies for Patients online!

Online Donations- Blake HS has an online donation page where students, staff and community members (near and far) can donate. The link is also on the Blake web page.

We will also be hosting a variety of events inside and outside of school:

1. 1st period classes- We will be collecting donations in all first period classes. The winning class will receive a donut breakfast and the teacher will receive a prize as well!! Each week we will start the donation count over, giving different classes a chance to win.

2. Departments- We will be distributing collection boxes to the school departments. We will collect these every Thursday/Friday and the winning department will receive a donut breakfast. Each week we will start the donation count over, allowing different departments to have a chance to win.

3. T-Shirts- The SGA will be selling T-Shirts that promote Pennies for Patients. The price will be $10 and orders and money must be received by: February 5th

5. Community Nights- We will be hosting different events from a Bengal Ball Tournament to nights out at local restaurants that will donate a portion of their profits to our cause. Please support these and join the school in raising awareness and funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Restaurant Night Dates:
2/16th LEDO Pizza- Colesville 4-10pm Dine In and Carry Out
2/25th Mamma Lucia Olney 5-10pm Dine In and Carry Out

Other Events:

Mr. Blake 2/10 7-9pm
Mr. Blake contestants do a “walk-through” the crowd during intermission to raise money for PFP. The contestant with the most money collected won a special prize and all of the money collected was donated to PFP.

Boys Basketball Game vs. Paint Branch 2/12
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Pennies for Patients. Chipotle Gift Cards will be raffled off at the event.

Dance for a Chance 2/13 8-11pm (All proceeds go to LLS!!)
Black & White Bash, Tickets will be $5, $10 at the door. Ticket sales will begin February 1st at lunch.

Bengal Ball Tournament- 2/23-7-9pm
We are inviting students to create 10 person teams and pay a $2 per team member registration fee (all donated). Spectators will be charged $3 to enter. Teams will compete in the single elimination tournament in the hopes of advancing to play the staff team. Teams do not have to be by class as we are encouraging students to work together across classes. We will also be raffling off gift cards at the event. (Waivers & Registration forms are attached to this email)

Thanks for your help and support!!

The PTSA asks that parents and all members please bring one or more canned foods, which we are collecting, but there is also a need for items for the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (see next message). Donate, if you can. If you have questions, please contact Robina Barlow at president@blakeptsa.org.

Holiday Wish Lists

Home Builders Care Assessment Center (Formally Men’s Emergency Shelter)
Unwrapped toys, books, games (Ages 12 and under)
Underwear (Focus on large sizes 3x, 4x, etc., thermal in the winter)
Socks
Rosetta Stone Language Learning software- Spanish
Gift cards (Grocery Stores, Wal-Mart, Target)

Creative Housing Initiative Pilot Program (CHIPP)-
Tickets to a basketball/volleyball/baseball game
Movie tickets
Gift cards to restaurants or fast food chains
Tickets to cultural events
Tickets to Museums
Gift cards: Target, Wal-Mart, Giant, Safeway
Linens (towels, full or twin sheets, blankets)
Household cleaning supplies
Any personal toiletries
Vacuum Cleaners
Pots
Set of Plates
Answering Machine
Perfume for men and women
Flashlights
First Aid Kit
Wall Calendars or Planners
Cooking supplies (Rice, Pasta, Cooking oil, etc.)
Turkeys and fixing

Coalition Homes-
Giant and Target gift cards

Home First/Dale Drive-
Target, Giant, Safeway, Wal-Mart gift cards
Bed Sheets (full sized)
Clothes for Men (larger sizes)
Size 10 Shoes (men)
Laundry supplies

Partnership for Permanent Housing (PPH)-
Linens (towels, full or twin sheets, blankets)
Household cleaning supplies
Any personal toiletries
Any children’s toys
Books and games appropriate for teenagers
Basketballs
Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Giant Gift Cards

Seneca Heights Apartments-
Two Wii gaming systems and accessories
Gift Cards (So parents can purchase gifts for their children)
Tickets to sporting or cultural venues: Verizon Center , Strathmore, Black Rock Center for the Arts, Glen Echo
Folding umbrellas
Movie
Black dolls
Stuffed animals
Watches
Wallets
Cookie baking kits (a great way to help homeless families enjoy holiday traditions together)
Disposable phones with pre-paid minutes
Movie tickets
Gift cards to restaurants or fast food chains

Would you or your family like to experience another culture other than our own? Have you ever considered joining a humanitarian/ service trip to help others less fortunate than ourselves?

Interested in joining a community service team alone, with a significant other or with family? Now’s your chance to hear about a special type of humanitarian trip
that welcomes individuals, couples and/or families from all spiritual orientations to serve indigenous communities high in the South American Andes of Otavalo, Ecuador.

The purpose of this 10-day trip is to provide a short-term volunteer program in a Third World country that encourages people to immerse themselves in a unique way of giving back while experiencing a different culture, personal growth and new perspectives on life and relationships with the world around us. We stay in a spectacular mountain side inn with gourmet western food and lodging.

Trip participants can choose from several work opportunities:

1) A Community Clinic/Traveling Village Health Care Team in providing
primary care service;

2) A Elementary School Team in assisting with an
arts/crafts learning program;

3) A community work team for various
service projects such as construction, painting, gardening, etc.

Everyone who comes can find something to meet their interests.
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For more information visit our website at:
www.BridgesWithEcuador.org

For questions contact Darlene Trandel at email:
BuildingBridgesWith Ecuador@ Gmail.com