Newton volunteers show kindness to kids whose
playground was destroyed
Posted Jun 28, 2016 at 12:49 PM
Sarah Kazarian and Isabella Steinberg from Newton’s Temple Emanuel stand with Nina Vansuch
and Ashley Simpson from the Boys and Girls Clubs at Roslindale’s Sumner Elementary School. The
Newton kids have volunteered there for two years and recently three the children a party.
Courtesy photo
After the playground at Roslindale’s Sumner Elementary School was destroyed by arson in
May, a group of Newton teens that had been volunteering there decided to take action to cheer up
the children.
Seven kids from Newton’s Temple Emanuel had worked with the Boys & Girls Clubs of
Boston’s Sumner Club for two years when they got the news.
“I found it devastating because I knew how impacted they (the Roslindale kids) were by this
because that school doesn’t have that many resources,” said Sarah Kazarian, a rising ninth-grader
in Newton.
After the arson, the area was fenced off and melted blue plastic marked where a slide once
stood, according to Sheryl Kalis, a volunteer’s mother.
Three people have been arrested, including a 23-year-old man, and two Roslindale boys, ages
16 and 14. To date, thousands of dollars have been donated to help rebuild the playground that
was used by hundreds of kids each day.
The Newton teens also decided to take action and lift the spirits of the kids impacted by the
crime. To cheer up the elementary-aged kids, the Newton students planned a giant celebration
and fundraiser held on June 14 at the Roslindale school for over 100 children.
“This was a nice way to say, ‘We love you,’” said Nina Vansuch, director of the Sumner
Club.
The partnership between the Temple Emanuel volunteers and the Boys & Girls Clubs began
two years ago when seven students at the temple were deciding what community service project
they’d do ahead of their bar mitzvahs.
During this time students do a mitzvah project, which is Tikkun Olam, meaning performing
acts to repair the world. It is a guiding principle of Judaism, according to Kalis.
The CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, Josh Kraft, is a Temple Emmanuel member
and helped the volunteers find a club that would match their needs and interests.
One of the biggest projects the volunteers undertook in Roslindale was creating a library for
the kids. Books are important to the Newton teens who have known each other for years and
even learned to read together, according to Joanne Kazarian, Sarah Kazarian’s mom. The teens
helped donate and raise funds to collect books that are wheeled out on carts as a roaming library.
The teens also read to the kids and help them with homework.
Now many of the teens’ schedules have filled up with sports and extra curricular activities
but they have not forgotten the children; instead, they organize fundraisers for the organization.
Others at the temple have followed in their footsteps and gone to volunteer at the site. Many
of the original volunteers have become teachers’ aides at the temple, using skills gained during
their volunteer period.
Kalis said that this experience of volunteering reminded her of a story by author Loren
Eiseley about a young man and an older man on the beach. In the story there are hundreds of
starfish washed up on the shore that will die if not returned to the ocean. The young man walked
along the beach and threw one starfish back in the water. When the old man said he could not
save all the starfish the young man said, “It made a difference to that one!”
“The biggest thing is good outweighs evil,” said Joanne Kazarian. “One starfish can make a
difference.”
To donate to help rebuild the playground, go to https://www.crowdrise.com/rebuild-the-sumnerschool or make a check payable to the Charles Sumner School and send directly to the school at
15 Basile St. Roslindale, MA 02131.
To volunteer or for more information email [email protected].