If giving back ranks high on your resolutions for the year, SASO Girls has a message for you: Join the club.brOr rather, the service organization. The girls' branch of Scholars and Athletes Serving Others (SASO) wasbrfounded in 2013 as a way for moms and daughters to volunteer their time together. The group is open tobrfreshman through senior high school girls and their moms who reside in Southlake. As the organizationbrgears up for its annual membership drive next month, we visited with President Heather Mollere and VicebrPresident Elsa Kackley to learn more about the SASO Girls family.
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Q: You're both members of the founding Boardbrfor SASO Girls. What have the first couple ofbryears been like?
A: They’ve been very rewarding. SASO Girls startedbrwith 12 women determined to create philanthropicbropportunities for high school girls in Carroll ISD.brWe started with 60 pairs of moms and daughtersbrthree years ago, and now we have 163 pairs.br
SASO has had such great success because of thebrmothers and daughters who so generously givebrtheir time together.br
Q: How are philanthropy events determined?
A: The SASO Board meets at the beginning of thebrSASO membership year, which runs April to March.brThe Board reviews events from the previous yearbrand new opportunities available to our members.brWe want to make sure our members have thebropportunity to work with and learn about differentbrorganizations.br
Q: Is there an event that stood out to you asbrparticularly meaningful?
A: Kackley says: The Red Bag Food Drive is anbrevent that really warms my heart. It's a joint servicebrproject between Christmas is for Children andbrAltrusa DFW. This event starts with a red bag roll-brup event at which we roll up 6,000 bags filled withbrnon-perishable food items. We then help organize,brpack into baskets and load onto trucks. Thisbrparticular event strengthens our community andbrbreaks down barriers of misunderstanding. Peoplebrall around us fall on hard times, and it is importantbrto not ever judge those struggling.br
Q: What kind of impact has SASO Girls had onbrthe community?
A: We’ve served more than 17 organizations, raisedbrmore than $43,000 and donated countless hours.brWe’ve served more than 17 organizations, raisedbrmore than $43,000 and donated countless hours.
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Q: How can interested students and their momsbrjoin SASO Girls?
A: Mothers and daughters can join SASO duringbrour membership drive. We have an annual
meeting in February. Applications and dues will be accepted at the meeting and for the followingbrcouple of weeks. The new membership year beginsbrin April. We keep membership and philanthropicbrinformation on our website: SASONow.org.br
Q: What have you enjoyed about serving?
A: Mollere says: I volunteer because it continuouslybrteaches me something new about people, aboutbrcooperation, about compassion and about myself.brSharing these events with my girls has been sobrrewarding. In helping others, we are reminded that we are all in this together and we need tobrremember to support each other. Life has so muchbrto offer if we look beyond ourselves.
Q: Do you feel like the organization isbraccomplishing what it set out to do?
A: Yes – and more. SASO Girls is all-inclusive andbrservice-based, not hours-based. This helps ourbrmembers recognize that time is something we canbrall give. Young ladies in our group say that theybrfind it incredibly satisfying to say they changedbrsomething in the world big or small, that theybrhave a positive impact on the lives of others andbrthat they enjoy meeting people from differentbrbackgrounds and cultures.br
Q: Your annual membership drive begins inbrFebruary. What would you like to say to momsbrand daughters who are interested in joining?
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A: If you like to serve, we’re the perfectbrorganization for you. We’re about helping others.brVolunteering teaches our girls to work with othersbrand brings people together with a common goal. Itbris a wonderful opportunity to give back and spendbrquality time with your daughter.