As we break this week to mark the Thanksgiving holiday, one of the many blessings we can celebrate is the warmth of the Seven Hills community.

This past weekend I attended a fabulous production of “Guys and Dolls,” skillfully performed by a troupe of Upper School students. With their brave and committed singing, energetic dance numbers, fabulous costumes, and moments of both high comedy and quite moving pathos, the performance left an appreciative audience awash in goodwill and laughter.

This morning, the Doherty community came together for their annual GrandPerson’s day. In a staggered schedule, students in pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, Unit II (grades two and three), and Unit III (grades four and five) hosted special guests in classrooms, regaling their visitors with stories, poem recitations, holiday songs, and a series of problem-solving games and activities. It was especially heartening to see the obvious pride our students take in showing off all they are learning.

This afternoon, the Middle School gathered to celebrate the spirit of giving, showcasing donations elicited in support of The Caring Place, and students from Lotspeich and of the Upper School came together for the traditional Thanksgiving assembly, featuring community reflections on our obligation to bless the lives of others and followed by the second graders’ spirited performance of the Turkey Tango.

As you gather this weekend with your family and friends, I hope you will take time to give thanks for all the blessings in your lives, among them, the spirit of this very special community. Enjoy this precious time together!