An all-Forsythe weekend serving breakfast at St. Andrew’s

7 a.m. comes early on a Saturday morning for middle school students, especially if that Saturday is the first day of spring break.

“I turned the lights on in the house at 6:45 a.m. and my dog gave me the death stare,” said Forsythe Middle School eighth grader Ella Hall. Hall joined 13 of her classmates over the weekend to help feed the less fortunate during Breakfast at St. Andrew’s.

The idea for a ‘Forsythe weekend’ was initiated by student council advisor Semra Koknar, and featured many student council members, including Ella. The volunteer events were coordinated by Anna’s Kindness, and were an opportunity for middle school students to directly serve those in need.

And there was no place in the kitchen that had more interaction with guests than the coffee station.

“One person came back four times, and when I looked in the cup, it was half full,” said eighth grader Hayley Marchand, who served coffee and tea on Saturday. “I think they just wanted it warmed up.”

On Sunday, Hayley trained Alexandra Kulick on the coffee duties. Kulick, a Skyline High School junior and Forsythe alum, was kept busy not only serving coffee and tea, but hearing the stories from guests as they waited.

The 7th grade boys — Sam Procoppe, Christopher Van Lent, Kee DeKeyzer, Deon Smith, and Alex LeFort — seemed to be mystified by the magic of the industrial automatic dishwasher (“It makes it so much easier,” admitted Kee DeKeyzer). It took little prodding to convince them to do dishes (moms, take note). And Deon admitted he liked putting the dishes away

Eighth graders Heather Ridha and Ella dipped out grits and oatmeal to guests, and were the place guests liked to stop and share stories. Hayley and Kee had company as well when they served the oatmeal and grits on Sunday.

It may have been seventh grader Tessa Hanrath’s first time serving breakfast at St. Andrew’s but she clearly had experience in making strangers feel welcome. As she doled out the warm pastries, every visitor was treated to her smile and “Have a nice day” as they left. Tessa was one of many who received a special “Thank you so much for what you’re doing” from those she served.

And as breakfast concluded, the kitchen needed to be cleaned, food stored, dishes washed, and tables cleaned which — on Sunday — eighth grader Ryan Tauber and his father helped with.

And for all the Forsythe students who had never served breakfast at St. Andrew’s, Tessa probably summed up their experience: “This was great. I really liked it.”

Anna’s Kindness would like to than Harry, Claire, Morgan, and Nick for their help directing the students, and Susette for accommodating Anna’s Kindness students as volunteers at the breakfast.

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