An Easter tradition of giving back

With a smile, Debi Sroka finished stuffing a basket with all sorts of goodies: Crayons, candies, toys, stuffed animals, and more. She tied it off with a ribbon, pink for girls, blue for boys, and yellow or green for either. 

This basket, combined with 168 more made by dozens of Girl Scouts from her area, comprises the service project that Debi leads each year to help support St. Vincent de Paul's annual Easter Basket distribution event, where hundreds of underprivileged children whose families visit SVdP receive these special baskets in the days leading up to Easter.

Debi started the basket-making service project back when her daughters were Girl Scouts. But even after her daughters completed the Girl Scouts, and Debi retired from being an active troop leader, Debi continued making baskets each year. It's become a tradition, one that she's hosted for the Girl Scouts in her area for over 20 years now. 

"What else am I going to do?" Debi joked about her time.

With her own kids out of the house, basket-making remains a way for Debi to feel connected to her community, giving her special purpose during the Easter season. She finds great hope in the effort, knowing that she and the girls are making a difference in local children's lives.

"It makes us happy, knowing that we're helping kids that would appreciate it a lot," Debi said. "We just want them to feel happy, and know that they're special."

“I feel drawn to SVdP because they help the poor so much, especially with the dinners and the other services that benefit families,” she said. 

Cindy Bernardo, the family dining room program manager, emphasized how meaningful the Easter basket distribution is to all the kids and families that attend every year.

"It’s important that kids have hope each day, not only for the essentials, but for the feeling of knowing people care," Cindy said. "They feel that love the moment one of the baskets is in their hands. 

"Adults that grew up coming to these events as children bring their own kids because they remember how much it meant to them," she continued. "They’re passing on the legacy of love and generosity.”

For the project this year, dozens of Girl Scouts participated, all from 11 troops in the East Kyrene Service Unit of the Arizona Cactus-Pine Council of the Girl Scouts of America. The Girl Scouts spanned the entire age range from Daisies and Brownies all the way to Cadettes and Seniors.

Debi organized the project and made sure each girl knew just what to put in the baskets, and checked that each one was up to snuff. 

While the project supports SVdP and those it serves, it’s also good service learning opportunity for the young Girl Scouts, whose age gives them special insight into what other kids would want and helps them put that special gift giving into practice. 

“They learn the value of service from this project, especially serving those less fortunate. And as they get older, they appreciate that it’s going to make someone happy.” Debi said. "A lot of leaders say that it’s their girls' favorite activity."

This year, SVdP’s transportation team picked up the baskets at Debi’s house. When they arrived at SVdP, the baskets were combined with hundreds of other baskets donated by the community. A few days before Easter, volunteers helped hand out every single basket to kids and families who needed some help to make this year’s holiday special.

Knowing how impactful the project is, Debi doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

“I feel blessed that I’ve been able to do this for so long and that I’m still able to do it," Debi said with a smile as she reflected on all the project has meant to her too. "I'll do this as long as I physically can.”