17 Years Strong: Hearts for Respite Luncheon
For 17 years, Lopez Elementary 4th graders have hosted a Valentine's Day luncheon, raising funds to send kids in their community to Respite Care's Wilderness Camp.
It’s Valentine’s Day — a day to show how much you care, and a day to give. For over 17 years, 4th-grade students at Lopez Elementary have made every February 14th special by inviting their community to experience happiness, care, and giving through the Hearts for Respite Luncheon. This legacy event began in 2007, inspired by a student named Sam whose classmates wanted to help him experience the joy of Respite Care’s Wilderness Camp. That small but impactful service project is, in many ways, how Project Heart itself got started.
Today, Hearts for Respite is one of the most beloved traditions in the school. Students plan and execute every detail of the annual luncheon — from writing letters to local businesses for food and in-kind donations, to reaching out to community members for financial support. In 2024 alone, students raised $3,530.81, bringing the total over the past four years to more than $13,296.93. At the end of the event, students leave knowing they are purposeful, valuable individuals with the power to make a difference — no matter their age or background.