BLOCK Club at Beaver Lake Middle School Kicks Off Humanitarian Drive

There's a group of students at Beaver Lake Middle School that really know how to energize their peers.

Each year, the club, under the leadership of BLMS teacher Curtis Betzler, organize a humanitarian effort to collect and donate items such as pencils, shoes, clothes, and dolls for the children in South Africa.

The group kicked off this year's drive with an assembly Friday morning to launch week one, with a goal of collecting 1,212 pairs of shoes for children. This week the group is collecting pens and pencils, the following week will be "something old, something new" (like used shoes, and new clothes--used clothes can't be donated through the club), and then readers and writers week, when notebooks and books will be collected. 

Later, some of the 30-plus students involved in the club will go to South Africa with the organization's travel team to help distribute the items and to see firsthand how their efforts positively impact other children.

The nonprofit Generation Joy Foundation was founded by Betzler after five years of successfully running the annual humanitarian project at Beaver Lake Middle School. Betzler realized the generosity and potential of his community and made the model program available to other schools through GenJoy. For his efforts, Betzler was awarded the Youth Advocate SAMMI Foundation Award in 2008.

The students involved say they feel great about being involved in the project, and they can participate in the various facets of organizing the drive, such as preparing a presentation for the students, fundraising (the club sells Jamba Juice at lunch) or working on public relations.

Emily Koya, co-vice president of the club who works on public relations, says the community is encouraged to donate, too. Items can be delivered to the office at Beaver Lake Middle School, 25025 SE 32nd Street, Issaquah.