On Thursday, October 12, about fifty students came into room B103 for the first ever meeting of the FTHS Friendship Circle- a club specializing in helping improve the lives of special needs kids. The attendance for the club exceeded expectations in a way none of the coordinators thought it would.

Friendship Circle is a non-profit worldwide organization that has been around more than twenty years. There are more than 100 locations worldwide, all existing to form happy childhoods, positive upbringings, and encouragement for all of the children in the program. Thanks to the organization, the children have the ability to meet new friends, express themselves, attend camps, and enjoy the company of volunteer workers, some of which have graduated from group themselves.

The club’s president, sophomore Sofia Kaganova, has been volunteering with Friendship Circle for the past year. She worked with Moushkie Volovik, the organizer of the central New Jersey charter. In Kagonova’s words, the organization specializes in making cognitively-impaired children “feel accepted, welcome, understood, and united,” and that Volovik makes every child feel like her own. The idea for the club was born over the summer when Kaganova decided she wanted to help raise more money for recreational activities for those based in Manalapan. These programs include the adored camps and trips that broadens these kids’ horizons and fills them with happiness.

Kaganova and vice president sophomore Adrienne Rivera worked together all summer planning the actions, logistics, and running of their meeting. After they got the “yes” from the headquarters, they printed out flyers and had their announcement on the loudspeaker in the mornings. They asked Mrs. Demilt to become their advisor, and junior Daniel Egan volunteered to become their official photographer. Verbal recruiting was a keystone for their advocating, and it was perhaps their upbeat behavior that brought so many students in. The duo promised all sorts of fundraisers, group activities, and necessary volunteer hours.

While Kaganova and Rivera expected a turnout of thirty people, their extensive preparation paid off in a way they never anticipated. At least twenty more people than expected showed up.

The group is already getting set for the annual color run at Manalapan Rec Center on Sunday, October 22 at 11:30 a.m. A clan of an estimated fifteen people plan to attend together to support the cause and show off their FTHS pride. They will adventure on a 5K run through spraying paint powder colors. About ten people have already signed up to join the fun. If interested in taking part, contact Sofia Kaganova at [email protected] before Wednesday, October 18.

The two have a hopeful outlook for the rest of the year, and stress the importance of helping anyone who lives with a disability or struggle. Aside from
taking their work very seriously, they also want to lend an ear to anyone struggling with personal issues. They promise a year full of fun and companionship to all attendees. According to Kaganova, the “best feeling in the world is to see these kids smiling and laughing,” and throughout the crowded room of smiles, it was clear the year would be full of that. They want their so-far successful club to be fitting to the Friendship Circle motto: “More than a friendship, we are a family.”

Interested in joining? Here’s where to find them!

President Sofia Kaganova: [email protected]

Vice President Adrienne Rivera: [email protected]

Advisor Mrs. Demilt: [email protected]

Remind 101: text @fthsfc to 81010

Instagram: @fthsfc

Meetings will tend to be in room B103 after school on various Mondays or Thursdays.