On October 2, 2020, Renaissance Academy 10th grade student, Mason Hall along with his 9th grade brother, MerRick Hall received notification that they had won the Together We Can Raise the Village Community Service Award.
“Together We Can Raise the Village” is a grassroots movement that is dedicated to uniting members of the Phoenixville community. Sponsored by the Phoenixville Recreation Department, Phoenixville Area Positive Alternatives, and Phoenixville Communities That Care, this award is intended to celebrate young people who have stepped up to help others during this difficult time.
Over the summer, the boys’ father was working at a Chester County nursing home. When Mason & MerRick heard how disheartened some of the patients were, they came up with an idea. They asked their father how many patients lived there and then, in three short days, wrote cards to each and every patient at the facility in an effort to brighten the residents’ spirits.
The boys are also active cadets in Civil Air Patrol Squadron 812. Over the summer, they and distributed school meals in Phoenixville with their squadron. They enjoyed the experience so much that they decided to continue volunteering on their own every Friday, 9:30am to 12:30pm.
Mason and MerRick reside in Phoenixville, PA with their parents, Galen Hall and Colleen Simpson-Hall. Mrs. Simpson-Hall said that she is moved by her sons’ show of kindness and dedication to service in their small-town community of Phoenixville. “It makes my heart swell with joy to see my son's gentle hearts during a time that is so filled with stress and uncertainty.