Guest bartending fundraiser to benefit Sweethearts & Heroes

TICONDEROGA | On Thursday, March 26, a brand-new fundraising initiative will see eight community residents showcasing their bartending skills in an effort to highlight a highly acclaimed Ticonderoga Junior-Senior High School youth empathy program. Sweethearts & Heroes (S&H), which has gained solid and steady traction in the four years since it was introduced, will hold its first-ever "Guest Bartender Night at Paper & Pencil." "This should be a wonderful, fun-filled night amongst friends and neighbors," said Melissa O'Reilly, event organizer. "Paper & Pencil is a beautiful venue and is perfect for an event like this." O'Reilly, who was first introduced to S&H program at an event in which Ti students were also participating, was immediately drawn to the concept and the undeniable positivity that it sparked. "The junior and seniors at the time spoke about the program; it was so moving, they loved it," she recalled. "It sounded so amazing, so I decided I would do whatever I could to help raise money for the program." When the program first came, the reaction from the students following the assembly was described in much the same way- sheer and unprecedented enthusiasm, the polar opposite of when they typically would sit through a longer presentation. "They all came out rip-roaring, excited," revealed Kate Crammond, Ti High Math Teacher and S&H Club Advisor. "The message was very strong." And thanks to that continued messaging, Crammond said within the halls of Ti High, there seems to be a noticeable shift in the culture. The adolescent and young adult years can be, for many, hard to endure. Essential human skills like self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, social awareness, and relationship skills don't naturally manifest in all kids at the same time. Emotional maturity runs the full gamut, and kindness isn't necessarily everyone's first language. S&H arms young minds with those tools and life skills they will need not only to succeed, but to flourish as a kind, compassionate individual in their interactions with others in all walks of life through school-wide services and the targeted youth program. "S&H is really important for our school," Crammond noted, adding that an astonishing 30 percent of the school's student population voluntarily participates. "It is often referred to as an anti-bullying program, but that's really not what it is," explained Crammond. "It has a trickle effect, so that is ultimately what happens. The program teaches kids about perspective and trains them to be positive bystanders to situations. When you see something happening, they can do something without relying on adult intervention- it is kids helping other kids." Maybe a person's "superpower" is the gift of gab, perhaps it's quick thinking, perhaps it is making people laugh. Whatever that superpower is, S&H encourages kids to find theirs and use it to their advantage in diffusing negative social situations and acts of bullying. Through the program, high schools routinely head up to elementary school to facilitate interaction with the younger student population. Feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive, with teachers noticing the youngsters employing tactics introduced to them by S&H into interactions with peers. "Last year in the fall, we brought a group of 19 kids to a S&H leadership summit in Killington, VT," Crammond shared. "I think every single one of them would tell you it changed their lives. It was the most incredible experience." Crammond said the feedback she consistently receives on Ti kids is how well-spoken they come across, which she attributes directly to their involvement with S&H. "We have so many kids that will tell you that before this program, they had a hard time speaking to people or they didn't have self-value and didn't feel good about themselves," Crammond remarked. "S&H has helped them to feel better and more accepted and to realize self-acceptance. They are learning about themselves and developing self-confidence and helping other people at the same time." At the fundraiser, four guest bartending teams will rotate hourly. Kate Crammond and Pat Fish will kick the evening off at 4 p.m., followed by Melissa O'Reilly and Shaundra Bartlett Yaw stepping behind the bar at 5 p.m. to ride the wave of happy hour. Town Supervisor Jim O'Bryan, Paul Huestis, and Eric Rich will all squeeze back behind the bar beginning at 6 p.m., and Nate Belanger and Bobby Porter will wrap the evening up (or perhaps kick it into high gear for the night) starting at 7 p.m. All proceeds will go directly to S&H, with bartenders donating all tips to S&H, as well as a 50/50 raffle running throughout the evening, and of course, additional donations of guests to the program if they feel so inclined. "Paper & Pencil also plans to donate a portion of the sales from the evening in addition to some snacks they are providing at no cost to the guests," O'Reilly added. Appetizers, burgers, clam chowder, and the crab cake sandwich will also be available to those who wish to make a full evening at the event and not worry about cooking dinner. "We are developing skills within a younger generation that will eventually be our high schoolers, who will then be the adults in town, and they will pass those skills on to our future children," Crammond reflected. "With S&H, we are raising up an all-around better community."

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Guest bartending fundraiser to benefit Sweethearts & Heroes

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