To celebrate Volunteers of Warwick Schools 40th Anniversary, Mayor Scott Avedisian is hosting a cocktail night at his own home, in “A Toast to VOWS” this Friday.

The event will be co-hosted by Superintendent Philip Thornton as well as former Warwick mayors Lincoln Chafee, Eugene McCaffrey, Joseph Walsh, Charles Donovan and Philip Noel.

“Think about the thousands of hours that volunteers have given to the schools over these 40 years. So it is with a lot of honor and pride that all of the former mayors and the superintendent and I toast VOWS on this milestone,” Avedisian said.

VOWS is a non-profit that started in 1975 with local residents who wanted to do their part in improving the school district. This volunteer management and training system strives to support the district with community and family involvement. These volunteers are parents, grandparents, high school students, community leaders and invested citizens who take time to help with classroom, school and districtwide activities and events sworn to student confidentially.

Thornton pointed out that VOWS help children to read and better understand class material but, most importantly, have “boosted children’s self-confidence” over the last 40 years. Students can sit with an interested adult outside of their teacher and parents that is invested in their growth and success.

“Working together, volunteers and teachers can provide students with individual attention while serving as positive role models,” Thornton said. “Without our volunteers we wouldn’t be able to provide the high standard of services we provide to the young people of Warwick.

Claire Flaherty, current executive director for VOWS, said that the organization began in the 1975/76 school year with a group of parents who wanted to help their local schools in the classroom, but without a “vehicle” to do so. Since its inception, VOWS has grown to not only help teachers in the classroom but also to host child outreach developmental screenings for free, as well as a 10-week anti-bullying and conflict resolution program called Heads Up to all second grade students.

Annually, VOWS recruits, trains and coordinates around 300 volunteers but can track upwards of 1,000 who show interest in volunteering with official background checks.

Although parent volunteers have decreased over the last several years – what Flaherty believes is due to more parents having to work to sustain a household – VOWS also sees grandparents and retirees.

“Our volunteers are people who want a meaningful way to give back to their communities,” she said.

In having a central training and management system, VOWS can ensure that schools and volunteers share similar experiences, with the same quality level no matter what.

“Personally, I believe when parents are involved, even at a basic level, in their kids’ education their children do well academically,” Flaherty said. “They see that their parents or grandparents are invested in the school and in their education and, therefore, so are they.”

Over the past 40 years, VOWS has always received support from the city, especially the mayor’s office, which makes the toasting event so appropriate.

Flaherty said, “We are honored that Mayor Avedisian has offered his home, along with past mayors. We are truthfully blessed to have had unwavering support from Avedisian’s office.”

A Toast to VOWS will be on Friday, May 6 at Avedisian’s home, 200 Atlantic Ave., beginning at 6 p.m. and running until 9 p.m. Tickets are $40 per person, but the event is capped at 100 people. Already, 39 have been purchased. Alongside the toasting there will also be a silent auction and raffles.

To purchase tickets, learn more about VOWS, or to become involved as a volunteer, supporter or sponsor, call the VOWS office at 734-3230.