Summer Service Socials are a Win-Win-Win   

Each summer, Sidwell Friends’ six regional clubs in Washington DC, New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Los Angeles, and Denver host summer events to reconnect alumni with each other and the School more broadly. For many of the clubs, community service-focused gatherings, including the DC “Summer Service Socials” on the campus, have become a good way to get involved. These service events not only help the Sidwell Friends community stay connected, they provide consistent support to the service organizations the School partners with.

A collaboration between the Center for Ethical Leadership, the Parents Association, and the Office of Advancement, Summer Service Socials uniquely bring together alumni, current parents, students, grandparents, and other community members united in a shared desire to be of service.

Throughout this past summer, the DC Regional Club held several community service events on campus and in the community. Dozens of volunteers sorted and packed donations at the Capital Area Food Bank. They collected and bagged groceries for Families 4 Families. And they packed snack packs and backpacks for organizations such as Martha's Table, Women Giving Back, and So What Else.

“Our partners need engagement all year round,” says Alexandra McCoy ’04, Center for Ethical Leadership coordinator. “One of the biggest impacts Summer Service Socials have is helping sustain continuity with our partnerships when school is not in session.”

Director of Parent Relations Kathi Webb ’76 says the idea for these events grew out of several needs. She knew parent volunteers who missed the camaraderie of volunteering together and the insights gained from parents in different divisions. She also wanted to connect new and current families. “The Parents Association and the School have many social events that provide opportunities for conversation but sometimes it’s easier to chat if you are working on something together,” she says.  

At the same time, the Office of Advancement  wanted to meaningfully engage alumni through community service, a common thread in the Sidwell Friends experience across generations. For everyone, Summer Service Socials seemed like the perfect activity to try. They’ve now become a mainstay in the annual Summer with Friends event series.

The Denver Regional Club’s event, which supported the Food Bank of the Rockies, compelled Peter Froelicher ’82 and his wife to drive 100 miles from Wyoming to participate.

“My wife, Linda, and I enjoy volunteering and the Rocky Mountain Food Bank serves Wyoming as well as Colorado,” says Froelicher. “We spent an easy two hours sorting and loading fresh plums to be delivered to various food banks throughout the Rocky Mountains. The task was fun and satisfying. We got to visit with folks who share the Sidwell Friends experience, while helping a worthy cause.”

While Froelicher stays in touch with several classmates, he says this event gave him the chance to connect with alumni from different eras, who have different experiences of Sidwell Friends.

Summer Service Socials will continue to grow as the Center for Ethical Leadership remains responsive to partner needs. “A vital part of CEL’s work is supporting partner operations rather than imposing what’s convenient or what we think they need,” says McCoy. “By combining service outreach and stewardship, we strengthen both our partnerships and the Sidwell Friends community—creating more opportunities for students and community members to see the many ways to 'let your life speak'.”

To learn more about how you can volunteer with Sidwell Friends and give back to local communities at the Summer Service Socials or regional club events, contact Ava Delasanta, assistant director of regional alumni engagement, at delasantaa@sidwell.edu.