Student organizes Adopt A Village kickball event
Meenakshi Dhamjia, ’17, is working with Adopt a Village, a part of the Indian Development Coalition with America (IDCA), to help build a school and playground in Shirdhon, India.
The IDCA aims to inspire people to get involved in order alleviate poverty and climate change in India. The group helps to provide food, clothing, and shelter to create a sustainable environment so that the basic needs of the poor are met. Adopt a Village is a program through the IDCA that helps to create infrastructure in poor villages, such as schools and housing, in order to provide for the needs of the people that live there.
Dhamjia started volunteering for this organization after hearing about it through family friend. She explained, “A family friend grew up in a village that was not well preserved, and through donations from the IDCA it was built back up.”
“All the money raised will go to the family friend, a committee member of the IDCA, who will use it through the Adopt a Village program to build a new school and playground according to the architectural plan she designed,” Dhamija added. The plan includes adding a rooftop garden, a library, a science laboratory, and installing a Digital Classroom.
In order to raise the money to fund the project, Dhamjia decided to organize a kickball event at Conant. The event will take place on Friday, April 28 from 7-9 p.m. in the gym.
“There will be two kickball games, which will be students versus teachers, as people are very interested in these types of contests,” Dhamjia explained.
Some of the teacher participants are English teachers Heather Munao and Jordan Catapano as well as Spanish Department Chair Patrick Malloy. The student participants include juniors Dylan Toth, Amy Rodriguez, and Emma Lee.
The players of the game had to pay $5 to play, while spectators will have to pay $3 to watch the event. Tickets will be sold in the cafeteria during all lunch hours between April 24-28. The event is open to anyone, including parents and younger siblings of students. Students and teachers can donate to the cause during this time.
There will be concessions sold in the concession stand during the game, and a raffle will take place. Before the event, there will be a bake sale with items mainly made by Dhamjia. She also will collect donations at the event. The fundraising goal for the event is $1,000.
Dhamjia plans to keep fundraising for the Indian school and playground after the kickball event is over by putting donation jars in local stores. As Dhamjia explained, “Education is important for everyone, and every child should have a shot at education. So if I can provide it, I will.”
To learn more about IDCA and Adpot a Village click here.
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