Sarah Wexler of East Brunswick High School is not alone when she volunteers at Chelsea Assisted Living, Ronald Mc- Donald House and the Camp Daisy program, all while maintaining her grades in school.
Sarah is one of many local teenagers who feel they must share their time, energies and resources with those less fortunate and give back to their communities.
“We are blessed here in the East Brunswick area with scores of such young people who dedicate themselves to the needs of others and of the greater community,” said Rabbi Aryeh Goodman, director of Chabad of East Brunswick.
To recognize their acts of kindness, the Chabad of East Brunswick launched the Good Deed Awards for New Jersey Teens program. The program spotlights teens who perform volunteer services such as participating in environmental initiatives, working with specialneeds children, visiting and assisting the elderly, and working in animal shelters. These teens are nominated for the awards by school personnel, coaches, religious leaders and otherswho work with teenagers. The winners are presented with college scholarships, awards and resolutions from different agencies and government representatives at a ceremony each year.
The Good Deed Awards program receives support from, and the ceremony is attended by, celebrities such as Colie Edison of MTV’s “The Real World,” dignitaries and elected officials such as state Sen. Barbara Buono and Rep. Rush Holt. Local and national businesses includingCostco, Wal-Mart, FedEx Office, Gold Medal Heating and Plumbing, and Open Road Auto Group sponsor the program. The supporters and leaders come together at the Good Deed Awards ceremony to honor the students.
This year’s Good Deed Awards recognition ceremony will be held at the East Brunswick municipal building in the courtroom at 6:30 p.m. May 27. All are invited to attend the gala event.
The deadline to nominate a teen is May 3. Sponsorships are welcome. Visit the Good Deed Awards for New Jersey Teens website, www.gooddeedawards.com, for additional information, to become a sponsor or to nominate a middle or high school teen. For more information, call 732-333-3220, or send an email to [email protected].