While the COVID-19 lockdown has cancelled a plethora of activities and practically affected nearly everything, there are still some people still doing what they’ve always done. One of those groups: DoRAK. 

The club is led by seniors Erin Markovicz, and Maddy Streng, the club president and vice president; they started the club when they were freshmen. The club’s essential duty is to commit random acts of kindness. Markovicz says the lockdown has only increased our duty to be kind to others. 

“Since we can’t be in school and have that face-to-face interaction, that’s put a big damper on what we’re able to do,” Markovicz said. “But we do still have some pretty awesome activities and things planned for students and staff during this lockdown time.”

Through committing acts of kindness, the club hopes to get their name out there and recruit some new people come fall given they missed one of their biggest advertising days of the year: visiting Lakeshore’s eighth-graders. They’ve also struggled to communicate with some of their current club members.

“We are making sure to keep planning things and to make sure we’re strong and stable,” Markovicz said. “We’ve had some trouble communicating with people and getting everyone involved, but we’re getting there.”

Streng says the biggest challenge for her will be missing out on an event they’ve done for a few years now in the fall. She’ll also miss other activities like this one DoRAK has held throughout her time at GHHS.

“For the last two years we’ve delivered pumpkins to people,” Streng said. “And we try to do it without people noticing until they open their door the next morning. It’s just a fun, crazy night.”

Given Markovicz and Streng created the club alongside fellow seniors during their freshman year, next year will be the first time DoRAK operates without its founders. Sophomore, and Streng’s younger sister, Lauren, will step up and become the club’s president. 

“She’s going to do a great job,” Markovicz said. “I’m really glad she’s going to do it.” 

Despite the challenges this year has brought, both Markovicz and Streng miss the time they’d normally be spending with their club members committing random acts of kindness, especially during their senior year. 

“I just really miss people,” Streng said. “It’s also really a bummer because this is our senior year, so it’s our last hurrah. We don’t really get to do any of those year-end things with our club. I just hope our members realize we’re thinking of them even though we can’t be with them right now.”