It’s hard to turn the television or computer on these days without hearing more bad news. Reports about shootings, riots, and acts of terrorism can leave us feeling demoralized and powerless. I believe in my heart that most people want to do good things and to make a difference in the world. But sometimes we have no idea where to even begin.

Let me give you an answer to that question: Volunteer.

Find a cause, an issue, a group of people that you really care about and donate your time to improve lives.

When After-The-Bell was created in Kennett Square 18 years ago, our founders, John and Denise Wood, and Marshall Newton, believed that people would step forward and lend their experience, their passion, and their time to keep adolescent children safe and engaged after school. John, Denise and Marshall are no longer with us, but they have left behind a legacy of charity and selflessness that has positively impacted the lives of close to 5,000 children.

They were right. Over the years, hundreds of people have stepped forward to volunteer at After-The-Bell. Our volunteers have included working men and women, those who are retired, and those who are raising their children. They include educators, scientists, engineers, business professionals, nutritionists, cooks, musicians, artists, and writers. We have high school students seeking volunteer service hours and college students looking for internship experiences. And we have had amazing senior citizens, particularly the extraordinary residents of the Kendal, Crosslands, and Traditions communities.

All of these volunteers have had one thing in common: their desire to donate just a little bit of time to make a big difference in the life of a child.

How about you? Are you ready to make a difference? Volunteering at After-The-Bell is both easy and rewarding. We operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in six-week cycles in the fall, winter, and spring. Our activities are one and two hours long. So, for as little as one or two hours a week for six weeks, you can share your passion and experience with our kids.

In the last year, After-The-Bell experienced a 25 percent surge in enrollment. We are thrilled at the growing popularity of our after-school program. But more students means we need more volunteers.

The great thing is, you can volunteer to do what you love. You can coach soccer or basketball, teach a yoga class, assist in a cooking class, help students create artwork, share your knowledge of science or engineering, or assist us with administrative tasks. The possibilities are endless.

We are now recruiting volunteers for our Fall Cycle, which runs from Sept. 27 through Nov. 3. Can you join us? Among our many needs this fall are people to teach photography and tennis. We also need chaperones to travel with our students to offsite activities. The truth is we need all sorts of volunteers, and the only qualification you need is a desire to make a difference.

After-The-Bell is operated by the Kennett After-School Association, a private, not-for-profit organization that offers after-school programming at Kennett Middle School. The program is offered at no cost to any student or family, and at no direct cost to taxpayers.

To find out more about our program, please go to our website, www.afterthebell.org. And if you would like to volunteer for After-The-Bell or make a donation, please email me at executivedirector@afterthebell.org.

Thank you.

Kathleen Meehan Do
Executive Director
Kennett After-School Association/After-The-Bell
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