The students and families at Lawrence Primary School celebrated Thanksgiving early with their second annual “Day of Thanks” last week, organized by the Parent Teacher Association.
The school served a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with sides, soft drinks, pies and donuts for any and all members of the community, with its gymnasium transformed into a dining hall decorated with balloons and festive decor while pop music played from speakers.
“From the PTA we did our main, traditional Thanksgiving meal,” Shara Sita, president of the school’s PTA, said. “It’s just such a nice giveback to the community that it is so together. In the season of giving, the givebacks feel wonderful.”
Sita, who lives in Lawrence, said that the event served to kick off the holiday season, and that this year it was bigger and better, with 150 attendees. “We have a lot more community involvement and community lifting the community,” she said.
She gave shout-outs to the local businesses that helped sponsor families and donate food for the event: 5 Towns Tile & Marble, Burnside Collision, Cambridge Motors, Century21 Realty, Daisy Nails Art Inc., Dunkin’ Donuts, Gibraltar Transmissions, the Goose Shop, High Speed Auto Repair, Incredible Feets, Island Bagel Bar, Patis Bakery, the Sherwood Diner and Tamburino’s Deli.
“Our local businesses support us and we patron those businesses,” Sita added. “It goes hand in hand. Even when times are tough, people still find it in the kindness of their heart to keep us going strong.”
The dinner cost $10 for a family of four and each additional person was $5. Throughout the evening, families played pin the feather on the turkey and bingo, and colored festive pictures.
“We have the dream team here in the Lawrence Primary School PTA,” Sita said. “We have a wonderful team of families, parents and friends that all come together and just make this happen. Everybody has their piece to put together in this puzzle, and it has come together beautifully.”
PTA member Angela Ortiz, of Inwood, was in charge of decorating the gym, which was complete with photo stations.
“I love being part of our PTA community,” Ortiz said. “The girls really do their best to keep the kids in line and have everyone hanging out.”
“It’s wonderful to get the families and community together for this,” she added. “I really just love being a part of it.”
The event, Sita said, allows everyone to celebrate Thanksgiving dinner, no matter their circumstances. “These Lawrence littles can see how we pay it forward — persistence, motivation and hard work,” she said, referring to the schoolchildren. “I honestly never thought I would be this involved, but the level of gratitude to be able to serve this community in every capacity is very humbling. We all stick together, and come together as a community and live to serve each other.”
The participating families had the chance to buy raffles to support the PTA, and prizes included LPS merchandise, large squishmallows — a brand of collectible plush toys known for their super soft, marshmallow-like texture — board games, Stop & Shop and VISA gift cards, handmade blankets, and a frozen turkey with all the holiday sides.
Principal Kristen Panzararella said the evening served a greater purpose than a shared meal, underscoring the importance of giving back and gathering together.
“This is such a great opportunity, with the holidays coming up, for all of our families to get together,” she said. “Especially at the primary school, we always speak at all our events about how we’re truly a community. To come together and see everyone sharing tables and food together is so special, and really enjoyable to watch.”
This event, Panzararella said, is the least the school can do for all the families that are so supportive of it. “We are a true partnership in every sense,” she said. “To see the parents volunteer their time, and to see the community and all the restaurants that donated food, speaks to the school district and the ways we are forming partnerships and supporting our families.”
Panzararella said that teachers emphasize reading, writing and being kind to their students everyday in the classroom. “When we have events like this, it really emphasizes the being kind part,” she said. “Teaching the kids about coming together, sharing and being a community and giving back is invaluable.”
