Clubs and Societies

The academic year 2020-2021 was definitely a tricky one for the Social Services Club. However, it was certainly worth it! It had its moments where we were able to make significant changes in peoples’ lives, which is what kept our heads held high when the going got tough. Needless to say, due to the current global situation that led to endless lockdowns, we were put into a powerless position as a club, unable to help the society when it needed it the most. But even through these stringent times, we are happy to say we were able to conclude a whole of two projects, that we believe made quite a notable impact.

Our first project had a leading intention to put an end to any fatigue or stress that our fellow Staffordians may have been facing from being confined to their homes for a consequential period of time ensued by the pandemic. As the newly appointed board for the year, in October 2020, we hosted an Online Halloween Costume Contest. We had six categories for the participants to choose from – Make Up Looks, Marvel/DC characters, Your Favorite Book characters, Cartoon characters, Your Role Model, and Netflix TV Show/Movie characters. We were taken aback by how creative and clever our submissions were. Six of our very own teachers who participated as judges also described how difficult and conflicting it was to choose from all the remarkable entries. With much consideration, we placed 3 gifted winners for each category. With great help from our Teacher in Charge, Ms. Nirodha Thilakaratne, Ms. Michelle Herft, and the Media Club with announcing our winners, we steadily concluded the colorful event within a couple of days. We can safely say the Online Halloween Costume Contest was a much-needed break from reality that all of us enjoyed organizing!

Our second and final project for the year was a rather meaningful and profound one. Although planned and executed very last minute, it will certainly be an accomplishment that will be remembered and cherished for a long time. On March 2021, the board of the Social Services Club alone, made a donation with a total of LKR 155,150 to the Salvation Army Elderly Home located in Rajagiriya. The establishment had expressed the inescapable difficulties they had to face resulting from the lack of adult diapers they had in stock which added to their hardships caused by COVID-19. Immediately we recognized the situation was in need of instantaneous and urgent attention, so we decided to take matters into our own hands. With the help of our close family and friends, we accumulated the aforementioned amount and made an in-person donation. The authority-figure of the Salvation Army Elderly Home was kind enough to permit a tour of the Home. Seeing the faces of the occupants truly humbled us and opened our eyes to the importance of being charitable and altruistic for those who genuinely need it. Along with the adult diapers worth of LKR 62,650, we were able to provide funding for the servicing of 3 washing machines with LKR 12,000, and the rest of the LKR 80,500 were given as a cash donation.

On a final note, on behalf of the board, I would like to thank our Teacher in Charge, Ms. Nirodha for being our pillar of strength throughout our tenure and also the ones before us. She provided us with the best guidance and advice during our trials and tribulations and never failed to make sure we understood and learnt from our mistakes. We will sincerely miss working under your supervision and love Miss, thank you for everything!

Our past year may not have been as eventful as had planned initially, however, we’re delighted to have had achieved what we did even with the cards that we were dealt throughout the year, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We are positive that the coming years of Social Services Club will be momentous and outstanding. With our heart and actions in the right place, Social Services Club will continue to act as Stafford’s bridge between the needy and the needed…for the happiness of others.