News and Announcements

Bringing Joy to Seniors with GlamourGals at Blanchet Catholic School
At Blanchet Catholic School, we are proud to be part of the GlamourGals Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending elder isolation and building compassionate leaders. GlamourGals connects young volunteers with older adults through beauty makeovers and meaningful companionship. The mission is simple but powerful: to combat loneliness among seniors and nurture kindness and empathy in the younger generation.

Since September 2024, Blanchet Catholic School has been honored to have its own chapter of GlamourGals. Our student volunteers visit a local senior living community, The Springs at Lancaster Village, offering not just beauty services like manicures, but also a warm, caring presence. Activities like bingo, making friendship bracelets, and, of course, sharing conversations, have quickly become regular highlights of our time together with the seniors. It's truly heartwarming to see the bonds that form during these moments of connection.

A Special February Activity: Flower Arrangements and Pottery Vases
As we began planning our February activity for the GlamourGals chapter, our officers brainstormed ways to bring something special to the seniors. After much thought, we decided to host a flower arrangement event. It seemed like the perfect way to bring a burst of color and joy to the residents of The Springs.

But one of our members, Nina Guhra, an exchange student from Germany, had a brilliant idea. Nina suggested that we ask our pottery class to make custom vases for the flowers, so each senior could take home a beautiful, handmade vase along with their floral arrangement. It was an idea that sparked excitement among the group, and we were thrilled to bring it to life.  Thanks to Nina’s suggestion and the creativity of our amazing pottery teacher, Mrs. Garaventa, we had forty custom-made vases ready to gift to the seniors. The vases were as unique as the flowers we would arrange, adding a personal touch to every experience.

Creating Lasting Memories
On the day of the event, our students and the seniors gathered together to create beautiful flower arrangements. It was a truly special experience to see the seniors carefully arranging the blooms, with the students by their side, offering conversation, laughter, and companionship. It was clear that the connection went beyond just the flowers—these moments of shared creativity and joy were the real gift.
The pottery vases added an extra layer of thoughtfulness. Each senior left with a vase that they could keep, serving as a reminder of the care and love shared that day. The seniors were touched, and our students left feeling fulfilled, knowing they had brought a little extra happiness into the lives of the residents.

A Bright Future for GlamourGals at Blanchet Catholic School
As the GlamourGals chapter at Blanchet Catholic School continues to grow, we are excited to plan future activities and strengthen the connections between our students and the seniors at Th Springs.  The February flower arrangement event, with its custom pottery vases, will be a memory cherished by both the seniors and our volunteers.

We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to participate in such a meaningful program, and we look forward to bringing even more smiles and meaningful interactions to our seniors through the GlamourGals Foundation. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the simplest acts of kindness—whether through a manicure, a bouquet of flowers, or a conversation—can make the biggest difference in someone’s day.

Thank you to all who made this special event possible, and a special shout-out to Nina, Mrs. Garaventa, and all our volunteers for their enthusiasm and dedication!

On November 10, after the school’s celebration of the annual Veterans Mass, current teacher and veteran Mark Risen honored his colleague Sherrie Bashaw with a military unit “challenge” coin.  Military units give these out for rising to challenges, recognition for achievements, upon departing a unit, etc.  Sherrie was honored with a coin from Mark’s last unit, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing. Mark offered many reasons Sherrie deserved the challenge coin including, “She is always selflessly serving behind the scenes.” Selfless service is a core military value.

Here are just a few examples of things that Sherrie does to support Blanchet’s students, staff and her community:  She makes and delivers cupcakes for every student on their birthday; she organizes the collection and washing of shoes for the 1000 Soles program and helps kids affected by homelessness;  she and her leadership class decorate the halls with posters of support for all the sports teams and activities as well as create tags for all the students who participate in sports, activities and fine arts; she advises the Students for Change Club and spends hours doing random act of kindness at Blanchet and in the community; she retired from coaching volleyball but has volunteered her time every season since to help the program continue to succeed; she works with kids to send encouragement cards to one another throughout the year; she started and organizes the annual Veterans Mass and Blue Mass honoring other selfless servants in our community; and the list goes on and on.
 
Mark said, “I felt her selfless service, let alone the fact that it was our Veterans Day Mass and she was the choreographer (once again), was the perfect setting to give her the challenge coin.” In his presentation, Mark asked each student to stand if they had been on the receiving end of Sherrie’s selfless service.  The gym was filled with applause as students stood to celebrate a well deserved recognition for an amazing teacher and role model. 

Blanchet's National Honor Society members will be hosting a blood drive with the American Red Cross at Blanchet on Tuesday, November 29.  If you would like to  donate blood, please contact Stephanie Razmus to get scheduled.

Middle school teacher Sherrie Bashaw was selected to receive the City of Salem’s Youth Achievement Award from Salem Mayor Chuck Bennett and the Salem City Council. The award recognized Sherrie’s volunteer service with the 1000 Soles/Shoe Battle of the Schools Shoe Drive. Sherrie was honored during the November 23, 2020 City Council meeting when they hosted an award ceremony for local volunteers. She and one of her students were personally presented the award from Mayor Bennett.

Sherrie and her Leadership classes have worked tirelessly to help local homeless youth find shoes through 1000 Soles/Shoe Battle of the Schools Shoe Drive. Over the past three years, the Blanchet Catholic School community has brought in over 2,700 pairs of shoes for the organization.   Also over the past three years, Blanchet Catholic School has won the Shoe Battle of the Schools trophy.
Laurie Shaw Casarez, the Youth Development and Prevention Coordinator with the City of Salem, said this about Blanchet Catholic School’s impact on local homeless youth, “Thank you in a huge way for your heart to help your peers in this community. Particularly kids who just need a decent pair of shoes on their feet every year. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You inspire me.”