4th Annual Aaron Eilerts Day of Service and Giving—Feb. 24, 2012

The Eagle Grove Community School will commemorate the 4th Annual Aaron Eilerts Day of Service and Giving On February 24, 2012 by hosting screenings of a feature-length documentary film New York Says Thank You. Aaron Eilerts of Eagle Grove, was one of four boy scouts killed when an EF-3 tornado devastated the Little Sioux Scout Ranch in Little Sioux, IA. The Aaron Eilerts Day of Service and Giving was established to engage students across the state of Iowa in hands-on service projects that celebrate Aaron’s commitment to citizenship and volunteerism.

The New York Says Thank You documentary chronicles the restoration of the Little Sioux Scout Ranch by volunteers from the New York Says Thank You Foundation and the spirit of kindness, which heals hearts after devastating events change people’s lives.

The 87-minute movie will be shown at three times during the day in the
Robert Blue Middle School Auditorium. Interested community members may join students during any of the viewings at 8:30am, 10:30am or 12:30pm. There is no charge and no reservations required.

In addition to viewing the New York Says Thank You movie, students will be engaging in a variety of service projects throughout the day. High school students will be sewing a memory quilt, volunteering at the animal shelter, collecting food for the local food pantry, painting at city hall, making cards for a Max Lowe-- a boy who is dying of cancer, walking and raising money for Heifer International and assisting middle school students with their projects.

Middle school students projects include making suet bird feeders and
hanging them in city parks, creating “chili in a box” for Upper Des Moines,
sewing pillowcases for patients, building a carpetball table for Parkview
Park (Aaron’s neighborhood park), making fleece blankets for Rotary Ann,
making holiday items for the Senior Citizen Center and Meals on Wheels,
decorating pet blankets for the animal shelter/hospital, and making
Kaleidoscope’s for Blank Children’s Hospital. Students will be engaging in
two new projects this year. They include creating gifts for Home of
Blessing in Thailand (a home that saves girls from being sold into slavery)
and walking to raise awareness for worldwide hunger and poverty by
collecting donations for Heifer International.

Anyone wishing to make a donation towards any of these projects may send a check to Robert Blue Middle School. Please make checks payable to EGCSD. If you wish to designate which project you would like to donate to, please specify.
Written by Beth Stephas, RBMS Guidance Counselor

"New York Says Thank You" Movie on Aaron Eilerts' Day 2012

The public is welcome and encouraged to view the 90 minute New York Says Thank You documentary movie on Aaron Eilerts' Day of Service and Giving. It will be shown in the Robert Blue Middle School Auditorium on February 24, 2012.
Show times will be at 8:30am, 10:30am, and 12:30pm.