Friday, Feb. 2 marks a special day of service and volunteerism in the Florida Keys, honoring the legacy of a young boy who championed a cleaner world and strove to make a community he loved a better place.
A tragedy in May 2020 took the life of Pascal Weisberger, the bright mind who overcame challenges and advocated on the issues facing the environment, specifically single-use plastics. While the loss still pains the community and those who were touched by Weisberger, his memory lives on through an annual day of service held on his birthday.
Weisberger would have turned 18 this year.
This year marks the fifth Pascal’s Day of Service in the Florida Keys, which former Treasure Village Montessori principal Kelly Mangel started working alongside Ariel Poholek, Pascal’s father, and the community. The day has grown exponentially over the years with participation among schools, organizations and individuals in the Keys. Last year, Monroe County officially declared Feb. 2 as Pascal’s Annual Day of Service, encouraging students and those in the community to engage in cleanups and other acts of service.
Poholek said he’s touched and appreciative of the many people who continue to keep Weisberger’s memory alive.
“He’d be grateful to see so many acts of kindness and good will and help to the community in his honor,” Poholek said. “That’s the thing he would have chosen, to see people doing things that are helpful.”
Students across Monroe County will mobilize for a day of service to honor Weisberger’s work in the community. Among the participants are Key Largo School, Plantation Key School, Coral Shores High School, Treasure Village Montessori, Marathon Middle School, Stanley Switlik, Big Pine Academy and Sugarloaf School.
Bobbi Burson, TVM teacher, said the school is excited to honor Weisberger’s admiration for community service and environmental stewardship. This year, students at TVM will paint and distribute kindness rocks, conduct cleanups and run a car wash with proceeds benefiting the Upper Keys Humane Society.
At Sugarloaf School, marine science students in grades 6-8 will repaint storm drains around campus, while K-5 students will host a cleanup around the school grounds. Students at Big Pine Academy will hold cleanups at the school, while those in grades 2-3 will visit Bahia Honda State Park for a beach cleanup.
Poholek is also encouraging participation among local businesses this year. While cleanups are worthwhile service activities, any kind of community service is a valued contribution to the day.
“People have donated blood. They’ve also donated food to the local animal shelter and food pantries,” he said.
A cleanup at Harry Harris Park in Tavernier is scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. on Feb. 2.
With the acts of kindness and volunteerism on Pascal’s Day of Service also come cherished memories among those who knew the young boy. For Barry Wray, Pascal’s running coach, it’s the time Weisberger visited the Southernmost City to speak to the Key West City Commission on the detriments of single-use plastics in the environment. Wray remembers the way Weisberger addressed the commissioners without fear and with fierce passion.
“He worked on plastics for the last three years, if not more, of his life with boy scouts and science projects,” Wray said. “I asked Pascal if he could go and talk about what he learned to the commission. That evening they passed an ordinance for a program to eliminate distribution of all plastic in retail for more eco-compatible alternatives.”
Hillary Cassel met Weisberger when he entered second grade at Ocean Studies Charter School. She remembers his ability to recall facts about presidents and trains, and anything else he was interested in at the moment. Cassel helped Weisberger improve his writing and his math skills as progressed through elementary school.
“He was absolutely brilliant but struggled to show his knowledge through his writing; however, that began to change and he transformed into a beautiful writer,” she said.
In addition to the day of service, Poholek will be handing out special awards, known as the Pascal’s Way Environmental Stewardship Award, to STEM fair winners at various schools in mid-February. Not only do students receive an award, but they also get a week of camping at Key Largo’s MarineLab. It’s something Sara Egner, senior vice president of programs at MarineLab, was happy to offer in Pascal’s honor.
“I remember meeting Pascal at a local science night teaching students about some of the critters that live in our local waters and get them excited about marine science. I will never forget this adorable kid just schooling me on the tiny invertebrates that live amongst the seagrass,” Egner said. “It was impressive.”
Participants in this year’s day of service are encouraged to share photos to the Pascal’s Way Facebook page and/or share posts to their own Facebook pages with the hashtag #PascalsWay. And those in the community who wish to tell stories of their interactions with Pascal are encouraged to send them to Poholek at apoholek@gmail.com. Poholek is looking to compile the stories for a commemorative book.
