Many years ago, a very wise man--Learning Skills specialist John Schoeller--stood in front of the school community and offered some advice as we prepared to break for the holidays. His suggestion, aimed at teenagers who probably could not negotiate gifts for grandparents and other elders, was brilliant in its simplicity, and I've never forgotten it. Consider giving a gift of time, John suggested. Simply hang out with gramma and tell her about your life....what you like, what you do, what concerns you. Anyone can do it. It costs nothing. It's value is immeasurable.

Today, I'm considering another gift of time, the time volunteered by parents to make Proctor work as well as it does. Time is volunteered throughout the calendar year, much of it behind the scenes. Most visible, on the other hand, is the volunteerism that makes Family Weekends hum. Parents organize peer volunteers, staff registration desks, and maintain "hospitality carts" that have become icons for the PAPA organization.



Through the "Adopt-a-Team" program, parents provide fruits, snacks, or entire barbecue cookouts for afternoon activities.







They orchestrate entire events, including the annual "PAPA On Ice" skating party, which features music, barbecues, loaner skates and a lot of fun.



Parent volunteers dedicate long (fun) hours to the annual Spring Fling, a kind of outdoor carnival/festival with dozens of activities and lots of great food.






They treat teachers to platters of food--ranging from pizzas to fruit plates--during "Faculty Appreciation Days."



Much of their work is invisible: reaching out to the parents of newly enrolled students with welcome calls, decorating for holidays or the spring semi-formal dance or assisting dorm parents by sponsoring evening parties through the "Adopt-a-Dorm" initiative.