Fridays With The Guys

By: Summit Academy Volunteers—Dawn, Daniel, Hannah, Josiah, Nicolas, Rachel and “the guys” Dan, Jeff, and Steve

For many of us, Fridays are special days. The kickoff to the weekend seems to give us more energy and brings ready smiles to our faces. For students at The Summit Academy and some residents of New Hope, Friday is also Friday Community Outreach (FCO) Day – time to meet with friends and share some special moments together.

The students and residents meet every other Friday afternoon for a time of sharing and caring.  The students have been volunteering in one of the New Hope homes for the past 4 years.  Last year, the students started meeting with 3 special guys at the Amherst home.  Their time and fellowship really blossomed into special friendships over the year.

Some of the activities they have enjoyed include playing games – hangman, Uno and Yahtzee are special favorites. They have also made decorations and celebrated special seasons by painting pumpkins, trimming the tree at Christmas, and dressing up for different holidays. Planting flowers is another time of great fellowship, and there is also great joy in just sitting and talking on the back deck and really getting to know one another.

This year there are a few new students in the group and they have become fast friends with the New Hope residents.  Events have been planned for the remainder of the school year, and the students and Amherst gentlemen worked together to prepare this article.  There was so much excitement generated in writing this article that the group plans to start either a blog or a creative writing/art journal.  Who knows, the Friday friends may even publish their work some day!  What is certain is that there really is something special about the friendships being enriched on FCO Fridays.