Ring and Run – A Childhood Prank or a Blessing?

Ever answer the doorbell and find no one outside? Rotten kids! But what if you answered the doorbell, and found presents outside? Lots and lots of presents when you had no idea how you could afford the holidays this year. The work of Santa? No, kids! Wonderful kids!

The youngsters who rang the doorbell and quickly ran off giggling, pushing and shoving to get away from the door aren’t real pranksters. The teenagers are from the leadership groups at the Spring Valley and Lakeside Teen Centers. Their Ring and Run program (see 2010 video below) is now in its 12^th year and they’re asking for our help in making the holidays brighter for another six families this year, three in Spring Valley and three in Lakeside. Combined, those low-income families include 15 to 20 children.

Being kids, the eighth to 12^th graders know how important the holidays are to other kids. That’s why they’re asking for new unwrapped gifts for children of all ages and donations for a festive holiday meal.

The families were all chosen by third party referrals from local school counseling offices or groups such as the Youth and Family Coalition, San Diego Youth and Family Services, Lakeside Community Collaborative and others. The families are documented as being in financial need and are not being served through other outreach projects. Over the years, the program has served more than 70 families including more than 200 children. The teens don’t know the families and don’t get any recognition; any prize, card, thank you or reward.

The donations are a boon to the needy families, but the youngsters in the leadership program get something out of it too and it’s not what you think. Yes, it’s fun to ring and run, and there’s that warm, fuzzy feeling from helping others, but there’s more to this story.

“The idea is to teach them about civic responsibility, to give them leadership skills to help them succeed in the future and show them a way to give back to the community,” said Lakeside REC Club Recreation Program Coordinator Ryan Flickinger.

The leadership groups meet on a weekly basis for team building exercises and community service projects. The teens volunteer at community events, take part in tree-planting projects and conduct canned food drives. Flickinger says the goal is to keep them busy during the critical hours after school when kids have the highest tendency to get into trouble.

This home away from home prompts the youngsters to stay in the program year after year.  “Most of our leadership kids graduate from high school and move on to college,” said Flickinger. “We help with resume building and college applications, giving them the next steps for when they disconnect from parents and schools.”

But not disconnect completely. For example, twin brothers who started going to the Lakeside Teen Center in sixth grade joined the teen leadership group, went on to be valedictorians at El Capitan High School and now attend USD as freshmen. The brothers moved on, yet they still keep in touch. 

Ring and Run draws kids in to begin with but then they become more than after-school participants. They learn to think outside the box, interact with the community and succeed in school. The youngsters grow up and see the importance of becoming educated, caring and responsible adults. 

And all this starts with a childhood prank; a chance to ring and run!

If you’d like to help the teens in their campaign to help needy families, here’s what is needed:

• Cash, checks or gift cards
• Frozen hams or turkeys
• Boxed mashed potatoes
• Gravy packets
• Stuffing
• Canned food
• Dinner Rolls
• Unwrapped new gifts for children of all ages

Items can be dropped off at the Spring Valley Teen Center at 838 Kempton Street in Spring Valley, the Lakeside Teen Center at 9911 Vine Street in Lakeside or Parks and Recreation headquarters at 5500 Overland Ave., Suite 410 in Kearny Mesa. Donations must be received by December 21 so they can be delivered the next evening. For more information, call (858) 966-1308.