When Zak Terzini first thought of bringing Light the Candle to PV, he figured a few kids might be interested. He sent out an email with hopes that there would be a few people who’d respond offering to make a card for one of the ten kids that he’d been given a name for.

Much to his surprise, his inbox filled with emails from interested students and he found himself crammed in a conference room, along with the fifty kids who showed up.

Light the Candle is an organization of different branches that sends birthday cards to children in foster homes and orphanages. Foster children don’t get presents and pointy party hats and a giant cake. Sometimes they don’t even get a card. Light the Candle is trying to change that. Excited to bring joy in the lives of children, hundreds of people have volunteered to send handmade cards to children each month.

The pioneer of this project at Pascack Valley is Terzini, a junior. Terzini was selected to attend the Hugh O’Brian Leadership Seminar (HOBY) and Monmouth University and was able to meet many people. Particularly, he was able to meet HOBY alumni and founder of Light the Candle, Jordan Lacey. Upon first going to the HOBY, she created Light the Candle and it’s been burning up the upper northeast (states like Rhode Island and New York) ever since.

At the seminar, Terzini and Lacey were able to discuss how Pascack Valley’s new and unique schedule could allow for more clubs. He offered to help her expand Light the Candle.

Over 100 students have joined Light the Candle at PV, making it unofficially the largest club in the school at the moment with many more people than Terzini expected.

“We’re still working out the kinks,” Terzini said. “We really want to stay away from cutting people from the club in the future, just because you can do so many amazing things with over 100 volunteers.”

Meetings will occur during lunch at a location to be determined and after school in the cafeteria.

How does it work? Well, normally, every student would be assigned a kid and they’d have a month to draw and write a card. That card would then be sent to Light the Candle and they’d send the card. However, with the staggeringly large number of people who have joined, the PV branch of Light the Candle is now making general card which will be sent children in hospitals, foster homes, and orphanages. Light the Candle is also starting an inniciative where inspirational quotes written on decorated index cards are sent to children at the beginning of a new year in order to lift thier spirits.

“It’s a not-so-large commitment which has the potential to make a large impact,” Terzini says. “Any act of kindness no matter how big or small makes an impact on people’s lives.”