DCDS Advancement & Business Offices

The Advancement Office and the Business Office joined together to do community service at a local non-profit organization called The Bottomless Toy Chest. This organization is devoted to delivering toys, crafts, and uplifting experiences to pediatric cancer patients at various hospitals in the area. The two offices participated in a wrap party at the organization's toy warehouse. Together they wrapped and boxed over 184 gifts. Each toy is brand new, gift-wrapped in cellophane, ribbon and hand-delivered to a patient. The clear gift-wrap keeps the items clean and safe for children with weakened immune systems, gives them a choice in an environment where they have no choices, and gives children who are under massive physical and emotional distress the joyful experience of opening a present. For more information on how to volunteer for this organization, visit www.bottomlesstoychest.org.

Kim (Otsuji) Link '02

This past November I had the opportunity to participate in the Christina Noble Children's Foundation CamNam Challenge (www.cncf.org). This 420 km bike ride from Angkor Wat in Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam raised money for the Christina Noble Children's Foundation. With the mission of giving children back their childhood and breaking the cycle of poverty through education, health care and community development, CNCF is making an incredible difference in thousands of lives in Vietnam and Mongolia. I had the privelage of raising over $5000 to support the Foundation and along with 20 other cyclists from 5 countries, including my brother Gates, completed the challenge. I was moved by the stories of the other cyclists and how each was motivated to take time from their "regular lives" and ride as a way to be a part of something much bigger than themselves. The ride culminated at the Foundation school in Ho Chi Minh City and we were greeted by the children.

Rena Daiza '02

I am a resident physician at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I was recently privileged enough to take a medical mission trip to Managua, Nicaragua in January 2016. I traveled through the Global Health Observatory (GHO) with 34 other health and service professionals. We visited a place called the House of Hope, a safe haven for women and children who have been victims of human trafficking. It was a very eye opening and emotional experience. We treated over 1000 patients in 8 days. I look forward to continue serving on mission trips in the upcoming years.

Girl Scout Troop 71585

Girl Scout Troop 71585 recently celebrated service.  The troop, made up of 2^nd and 3^rd graders at DCDS, handmade Get Well and Happy Birthday cards to patients at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.  The girls enjoyed designing and decorating cards that will cheer up patients who are spending extended amounts of time at the hospital. 

Danielle David '09

I recently captained the Google San Francisco team at our local Cycle for Survival event. We gathered a team of Googlers from all over the company to ride for 4 hours on a Saturday afternoon. As a team we had a blast raising money for Memorial Sloan Kettering to help the fight against rare cancers.

Jalen Graham '19, LaNard Graham '17, and Michael Graham '23

Graham Brothers (LaNard '17 and Michael '23 along with little brother Bryce) and neighbor spent time over the break preparing and serving breakfast to those in need at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit. Not able to attend due to a scheduling conflict, Jalen Graham '19 (not pictured), still found a way to support the cause with a monetary donation.

Madison Ashby '20, Maria Cheriyan '21, and Rachel Elias '20

Girl Scout Troop 42962 may be small but they are mighty!  With only 3 troop members – Madison Ashby, Maria Cheriyan, and Rachel Elias, we know how to make a difference.  Over the past few months we have been very busy with three service projects.

Every year December comes around and the Troop gets busy baking cookies for Grace Center of Hope.  This year the we cooked and decorated over 250 cookies for the shelter.  Even though we didn’t get to see the cookies get served, we knew they would be a special treat for the homeless.

February rolled around and the Troop went to the First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham and prepared a chili dinner for the South Oakland Shelter clients who needed shelter and a warm meal.  We made dinner, served it, and cleaned up.  It was very gratifying to see and talk to the clients.  We were surprised to see families, the elderly and people just like you and me.  Along with preparing the meal we had an opportunity to work with the little Brownie Scouts as mentors setting tables and preparing for the meal.

March was a busy month with the culmination of “The Gift of Reading”  Book Drive that we have been working on since September.  “The Gift of Reading” is the main theme for the Silver Award that the Troop is working to finish this year.  The project has taken two years, a lot of sweat and energy, and a successful book drive on the Lower, Junior, and Middle school campuses.  The troop has collected over 2,000 books that they have donated to Beyond Basics in Southfield.  We chose this project because we feel passionate about reading and understand the value of books.

Yours in Scouting,

Madison, Maria, and Rachel