Living Values

Last week I received a truly moving email from one of our 5th grade parents. With their permission I am sharing it here because this blog is all about showing how The Davis Academy community lives our Menschlichkeit values. And this story is a beautiful illustration of precisely that. Upon re-reading the email I am also fairly confident that this is one of the most moving stories about Tzedakah and Slime that I've ever heard! With so much going on in the world it is heartwarming and inspiring to know that our students know how it feels to make a positive contribution and difference. 

Dear Rabbi Micah,

I want to share a story with you about two Davis 5th graders who raised money for the Humane Society this past week. During a recent play date Ashley Dryburgh and Samantha Iroff  were talking about how sad it was that so many animals were impacted and displaced by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

They made a plan to raise money to help the Humane Society and help all those animals who needed assistance or a place to go after the storms hit their areas. So they put their plan into action.

Being huge fans of making slime, they created a company called Caribbean Slime. They produced many batches of slime in various colors and textures to sell. All proceeds of the slime sales would go to the Humane Society. With their plan in place, they sold door- to- door in their neighborhoods and at the Newtown Park Dog Park in Alpharetta where many where so impressed by their philanthropic and entrepreneurial spirit that they made generous donations!

Together the girls raised $270 and this past Sunday, October 1st they brought their donation to the Mansell Road Humane Society campus. They were greeted by very grateful volunteers and some really cute puppies.

Humane Society manager Reco Mitchell explained to the girls that they had taken in 150 animals from the Houston SPCA and 100 more from the Tri-State Animal Shelter in Miami, some animals were hurt and injured, and that their donation would go to very good use!

They girls also learned that an old Home Depot off of 400 and exit 7 is being used as a temporary animal shelter with overflow from the Mansell campus.

My husband Mark and I as well as Brian and Nicole Iroff are thrilled and proud of our daughters' accomplishment and how they thoughtfully engaged in this mitzvah of helping our community! We wanted to share their story with you. 

Thank you, and thanks to the Davis Academy for fostering these type of values in our children every day.