Mamaroneck HS Students Volunteer at 'Dragon' Craft Day

It might have been rainy and windy outside on Sunday, but inside, a group of local volunteers definitely brightened up the evening for kids at Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla, where they sang and made crafts as part of the "How To Train Your Dragon" Community Craft Day.

The event was brought to you by Patch.com and sponsored by Paramount Pictures, which is set to release the movie How To Train Your Dragon March 26. 

To help put on the event, members of The Nola Tree, a non-profit organization that includes many students from Mamaroneck High School, volunteered their time and talents. While the Larchmont-based organization's primary activity involves taking teens on trips to New Orleans to help rebuild the city, the give back to the local community as well.

"When our teen volunteers come back from New Orleans, they want to do more. They want to bring their experience back home," said Ana Galan, the co-executive director of The Nola Tree, "So we try to find opportunities for them and create a vehicle." She received the materials on the workshop and thought it was a great opportunity for the teens to help create a fun and enjoyable time for the kids at the hospital.

And they did just that. The group of about 10 kids was all smiles as they sat in a circle, banging drums, shaking maracas and singing along as volunteers played guitar and banjo. The fun continued with a variety of arts and crafts, such as coloring pictures of dragons and others characters from the movie.

"I love the music and playing," said 5-year-old Lauren Seurm, who was at the workshop with her mom, Cindy and 8-year-old sister, Grace.

They weren't the only ones who had a great time. "I love working with kids," said Molly Cohen, a sophomore at Mamaroneck High School who volunteered her time. "I'd like to work with them as I get older. It's so enjoyable."

Max Gude, also a sophomore at Mamaroneck High School, echoed her sentiment. "You get a good feeling when you play for people," he said while strumming a banjo.

Gude will be going on his first visit to New Orleans with The Nola Tree this summer, where he'll be among a group of 15- to 19-year-old volunteers who help build houses and plant gardens, among other activities. Galan, who along with her co-executive director Phil Bildner, has been taking these trips since 2007, encourages anyone who is interested to contact the organization. This year, they are sponsoring four separate visits to New Orleans and currently, there is still room for the trip that leaves on July 11.