DOVE Missions is a non-profit organization stationed in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic working with children and their families from the poor areas of Playa Oeste, Aguas Negras, and Barrio Nuevo. Please follow this blog to read about how DOVE serves those in need and how you, too, can lend a helping hand.



Click HERE to go to the website: http://www.dovemissions.org

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Raising money with passion

It was almost one year ago that Amy Pattison had a life changing experience. She came with her sister Carly, and Mom Bonnie, to visit our Youth Centre here in the Dominican Republic. Carly had already spent a week volunteering the previous summer, and had inspired the rest of her family to come and see for themselves what she was talking about.
Amy Pattison is in grade 8 at Hillsdale Elementary school in Ontario, Canada. After spending time volunteering in DOVE's Youth Center, getting to know the kids, visiting with the two children that her family sponsors, she decided that she had to do more. So she went home and talked to her principal about getting her school more involved. It was decided that efforts to raise money for DOVE Missions would commence the following school year in September. At the request of Amy, and to start off the fundraising, Melissa Bazely who works for DOVE, went and spoke to the kids of Hillsdale Elementary. She explained why DOVE Missions exists and helped the kids aging in range from kindergarten to grade eight what kids their age are facing on a daily basis. Amy led the presentation, and told about her experience working with DOVE in the Dominican, and why she felt such an urge to do something more. There was a lot of interest from the kids, and a lot of questions.
Since September, Hillsdale Elementary School has raised over $300 for DOVE Missions. They hosted garage sales, sold handmade bracelets, and even set up a Wii room at recess time and charged $1 for kids to play. All of the kids at Hillsdale Elementary have done an extraordinary job at showing participation and wanting to raise money for the kids in Dominican Republic.
DOVE Missions wants to send out a special thank you to Amy and her family for spearheading this fundraising. We want to thank Hillsdale Elementary for doing such an awesome job! Way to go Hillsdale!!!