This article was originally published in the spring 2013 Harker Quarterly.

What began as a holiday seasonal community project has evolved into a larger, new schoolwide outreach program called HarKare (Harker Cares).

HarKare launched with its first project, making ornaments to accompany classroom Christmas trees donated from the lower, middle and upper school campuses to underprivileged families.

To that end, about 40 Harker parents and children of varying ages took time out on a Sunday in December to gather for the ornament-making event.

“HarKare will create opportunities for kids and whole families to participate in all sorts of community projects going on all year, not just during the holiday season,” enthused Teré Aceves, lower school volunteer program director at Harker.

In February there were two HarKare initiatives running nearly simultaneously: a book exchange on Feb. 8 and a volunteer effort with the organization Sea Scavenger the following day.