This May, in honor of National Nurses Month, King School’s Health and Wellness Club and King Cares are turned their focus outward, supporting the healthcare heroes at Stamford Hospital and celebrating the strength of cancer patients and survivors in the community. Through heartfelt gestures, hands-on projects, and meaningful partnerships, students and parents are making an impact close to home.

On Tuesday, May 13, during a King Cares Coffee and Connections gathering, King parents were invited to a morning of coffee, conversation, and community action. The event offered a chance to connect with one another while engaging in service. 

“I just try to open it up to the parents, so that we can do service projects together with the students,”  said King Cares Director Karen Raidt, adding that this coffee was inspired by the school’s theme of “Making Connections.”

Raidt and club leader Sophia Carrington ’26 spoke about King’s ongoing partnership with Stamford Hospital and the Bennett Cancer Center. Attendees then rolled up their sleeves to decorate snack and self-care bags for healthcare workers.

On Friday, May 16, the spirit of care and compassion continued. Health and Wellness Club members crafted bright pinwheels, a colorful tradition of the Hope in Motion Walk, an annual event organized by the Stamford Health Foundation to raise vital funds for Stamford Hospital’s Bennett Cancer Center. The walk helps fund the non-medical services, such as counseling, transportation to and from treatment, and wellness programs, that directly benefit cancer patients.

Each pinwheel, purchased by participants, honors a loved one who has faced or is currently facing cancer. The club’s pinwheels will be proudly carried during the walk, adding a personal and emotional layer to this powerful community event.

“Our club is very eager to go out in the community,” said Sophia, adding that she polled club members to see if members would go to the Hope in Motion Walk. “All the hands went up! The leaders and I are going to be there, we go every year. It will be super fun.”  

The 75 members of the Health and Wellness Club play a vibrant role in building a community around causes. Club members design activities for advisories, support school-wide initiatives like the annual food drive, and lead service projects benefiting Stamford Hospital and the Bennett Cancer Center. The club’s efforts include creating “get well soon” cards for patients, assembling grab-and-go snack bags for healthcare workers, and painting kindness rocks to uplift those undergoing cancer treatment. The club meets every other rotation, or more frequently when projects are underway, and continues to grow as students come together to support one another and their broader community.

By combining student leadership, a shared commitment to health and wellness, and empathy, King Cares and the Health and Wellness Club continue to live out King’s spirit of service. As the month of May progresses, so does the school’s dedication to lifting up those who heal, those who fight, and the families who walk beside them.