Adventures at the Association to Benefit Children

On Saturday April 16^th, the Adventure Stream trekked to Harlem to share in an afternoon of fun, games, and delicious cupcakes with some of the neighborhood’s disadvantaged youth.  The delight of spending a few hours with these adorable kids was enhanced by the privilege of volunteering for the Association to Benefit Children, one of New York’s most admirable organizations.  For decades, the ABC has provided much needed support for underprivileged families in the area.  The belief that early intervention and a stable environment can elevate impoverished and at risk children to their highest academic and social potential lies at the core of all the programs that they offer.  These range from after-school programs and summer camps to therapeutic groups for children in crisis and the provision of furnished apartments for homeless families with AIDS.  It is truly a wonderful organization, and their work should be (and is) highly commended.

            The kids that the Adventure stream spent time with on Saturday were part of a weekend recreational program.  When we arrived, we were split into two groups – one for preschool aged children and one for those around six years and older.  The older kids spend their day rotating around to different stations, including a game room, rec room, and sports area.  We began in the game room, which is stocked high with a huge variety of board games, art supplies, books, and computer games.  This particular group seemed to prefer the board games to the other activities, so we spend the majority of our time there in an intense battle of board game skills.  Nine and ten year old brothers Alex and Aldo, a pair of self-proclaimed mancala wizards, challenged a few of us to some games, and proceeded to beat everyone that they played (there were, however, some highly suspect moves whipped out near the end of every match, so we’re still not entirely sure how valid these victories were – the instruction manual was suspiciously absent).  We also played a game or two of Monopoly with Anjali, a little girl who was adept enough in math to be the banker even though she was only in second grade.  While some of the group left the game room to play soccer, the rest of us moved to the rec room to play some foosball and video games.  The kids’ Wii game of choice was Michael Jackson: The Experience, where the player gets points for their ability to imitate Michael Jackson’s dance moves in his music videos.  Watching eight year olds expertly replicate Thriller was definitely one of the highlights of the afternoon! 

            We ended the day with a delicious lunch of tacos, ice cream, and special Easter cupcakes before we said goodbye to the kids.  It was certainly a memorable experience, and anyone who can find some time should spend a day volunteering at the ABC – you won’t be disappointed!

To volunteer, check out http://www.a-b-c.org/volunteer.htm

-Alexia Bonfield