Providing students with a “feel-good, festive” opportunity to help the Souderton Area community, the Holiday Club has procured an increased number of new members since previous years past.
Continuing its activities from last year, the Holiday Club has dedicated itself to donating baked goods to express gratitude to others, attempting to better their days through these donations.
“I think the most important thing is to help out around our community, so that [includes] giving our police officers, our firefighters, or the elderly food and baked goods. Helping out is really the most important thing,” Holiday Club president Dominik Szalai said.
Holiday Club advisor Allyson Fitzpatrick agrees.
“I kind of feel like that is what they want to do: show that they wanna bring joy [and] appreciate people that need it.”
The growth that the club has seen in the past few years has been described as “amazing.”
“We have had immense growth over the club fair. That was a really big thing,” Holiday Club officer Tori Puente said. “We have over 100 people in our Remind.”
According to Fitzpatrick, turnout for the initial meeting showcased equal success, with over 40 students present.
“The fact that the enrollment is so high [and] that so many kids are excited about it and want to help, I think that’s really exciting,” Fitzpatrick said. “I would like to see that go forward, but the fact that they actually had to do sign-up sheets that way, [so] it is fair, and everyone gets to come in and help.”
Many have attributed the club’s success to the nature of the club, and what it provides, not only to the community but to its members.
“I remember during my freshman or sophomore year, coming to the first meeting and just having a lot of fun,” Holiday Club officer Nate Bucher said. “I feel that since it counts as community service hours, it is a great way to do good work and also have a good time.”
Some comment on the allure of the club being its outlook.
“I think what is so special about our club is that it prioritizes the holidays and how sometimes they can be difficult for people,” Puente said. “They’re just chances to bring some light to people during a very special time of the year.”
The club’s actions have remained true to both their mission and purpose.
According to Szalai, the club bakes treats, such as cupcakes for example, allowing members to each eat one, saving the other half of the batch to be donated to first responders, the elderly, or school staff.
“I don’t always like to donate to the same place twice,” Szalai said. “I mostly just choose where to donate. Sometimes it is the fire station. Sometimes it is the police station, or sometimes I can go donate it to the soccer team after a big win, or [to] our teachers.”
