GUS Snowflakes Holiday Tradition
Join us in Honoring Our Faculty
It's been a long-standing GUS tradition to make charitable donations in honor of our GUS faculty during the holiday season in lieu of holiday gifts. This GUS 'Snowflake' tradition began in the 1980s by a former GUS teacher, as a way to celebrate and acknowledge the Glen Urquhart School faculty during the holidays, while at the same time supporting charitable organizations. While in the past families would purchase a 'Snowflake' in honor of GUS faculty by making a donation to either Beverly Bootstraps or GAIN@GUS, this year we're encouraging families to make a donation to any charitable organization near and dear to their hearts (which of course may still include either Bootstraps and/or GAIN!). We hope that by diversifying options for giving, families feel a more personal connection to this beloved Snowflake tradition, and our faculty will see a wonderful array of organizations doing virtuous work in their honor.
How does this work?
Families make a donation on their own to any charitable organization of their choice, in any amount, in honor of the GUS faculty.
Paper snowflake templates will be sent home for children to cut out, decorate, and note the organization to which they contributed (or get a head start here!).
Students return snowflakes to school (no later than Tuesday, December 12th please!), depositing them in Snowflake "mailboxes" in upper and lower school lobbies. Snowflakes will be displayed in both buildings.
We'd love for families to also please fill out this Google Form (only one field to fill in!) so we have a running list of the many different organizations supported by the GUS community through this effort.
The final list will be shared with faculty, students, and attendees at our Solstice Assembly on Friday, December 15th.
Please Note: We ask that donation amounts not be included in either your Google Form submission or on the physical snowflakes
We’re excited to further this tradition of honoring our faculty while supporting organizations that help make our world a better place! If you have any questions at all, please reach out to us at guspa@gus.org.
Warmly,
GUS Parents Association Executive Committee
Ideas from Students
Upper school students in leadership groups researched organizations that focus on causes near and dear to their hearts. In particular, they looked for organizations that support work around climate change + sustainability, racial justice, animal welfare, food + housing instability, children’s health, supporting LGBTQ youth, supporting veterans + service members, and providing access to participation in sports + the arts. Students found both local + national organizations, including many of the organizations GUS partners with for field trips throughout the school year.
NAACP
The Trevor Project
Wounded Warrior Project
St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
Make-A-Wish Foundation
Beverly Bootstraps
Open Door Gloucester
North Shore Community Development Coalition
The Food Project
Change is Simple
Beverly Bees
Green Beverly
Maritime Gloucester
Mass Audubon
Trustees of Reservations
Artists for Humanity
More Than Words
Punto Urban Art Museum
RAW Arts Works
Cape Ann Museum
Peabody Essex Museum
Great Dog Rescue New England
Great Dane Service Dog Project
Cape Ann Animal Aid
NEER North Horse Rescue
Northeast Animal Shelter
Best Friends Animal Society
African Wildlife Foundation
USTA Foundation
National Wheelchair Basketball Association