Holiday Caroling in Newark

One of the benefits of working in the library is getting to know a wide variety of people in the community especially the youth that will be the future leaders here in Newark.  We have a lot of people interested in creating a better Newark, and caroling will be coming on Thursday night to various neighborhoods.  

The following was sent to me by one of our volunteers, a Newark Memorial High student:

"Hey do you remember when those kids from Newark Memorial knocked on our door and when we opened it they surprised us with a holiday jingle? Wasn't that just wonderful," Said no one ever. 

Just about a year ago around this time, a couple of friends of mine, Francisco, Cristian, Mario G, Mario O, Anthony, and I realized that when was the last time someone went around spreading holiday cheer door to door by singing? We certainly never recall such a thing and decided why not do it ourselves, we can't sing but we can provide a heck of a lot of cheer, which hopefully makes up for our vocal capabilities. However it is the season of giving, so we decided we could go a little further and on behalf of Newark's Viola Blythe ask for donations of one dollar or canned goods that will all go to them. So on a Friday when we got out of school for break we busted out our finest holiday apparel, Cardigans and Christmas Hats, Cristian going all out in a Santa costume, and went out into the city and raised $150 and 60 cans for Viola Blyth. All while having a great time, singing to some children that were more than thrilled to see Santa at their door step, and being given some cookies by some very nice people who were really grateful for what we went out to do and really impressed by how we nailed "Jingle House Rock." 

After all we were taught well by our school's Puente and M.E.Ch.A club counselors and advisors like Ms. Torres, Ms. Kuei, and Ms. Cheever, to name a few, that going that extra mile counts, seeking ways to help matters, and most importantly to enjoy what we do and pour our hearts into it. So for that we decided to go even bigger this year, and we sincerely thank them for inspiring us and believing in us, after all we are just your average high school boys trying to make an impact in the community that has raised us and which we care about.     

So please mark your calendars for Thursday December the 20th because from around  6:30pm to 8:00pm, Newark Memorial's Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A),  and Puente Club, will be roaming around Newark spreading holiday cheer by caroling and asking for donations of one dollar or any canned goods a family can spare. However, we understand times are tough and we understand when every dollar counts, especially around the holidays.  We will have teams going around Newark such as the community behind the Library, the Jr. High, Musick School, and the Lake area to name a few.

We hope that we can bring a smile everyone and that they enjoy a nice holiday jingle as well, this is year two of a tradition we hope to set in Newark and we are really excited. We promise to practice "Deck the Halls," since we sang the "falalalala" part as if it was an opera and nearly made a family's porch tremble. So to everyone we wish them happy holidays, and hopefully we see each other Thursday night. 

-Angel Alvarez Vera