Holy Spirit pupils boost donations to Holy Childhood

Children's efforts raised $2,300

- WCR photo by Bill Glen Students played the handbells during the annual Holy Childhood Mass at Holy Family Church in St. Albert.

By BILL GLEN
WCR Staff Writer
St. Albert

With only one year of involvement in the Holy Childhood Association under its belt, Holy Spirit Catholic School in Sherwood Park decided this year it would buckle down to raise both money and awareness.

And they did.

Children helping children

"They worked hard," said Grade 5 teacher Carolyn Fougere. "Last year, we raised $2,100. This year, we have donated $2,300 to the association. It was children helping children and they related to that."

In his opening address to staff and students, principal Brian Mittelsteadt asked what they could do for others in the coming year. The school's Lenten project would support Holy Childhood.

A group of Grade 9 students took the initiative and made a display board in October for use in all classrooms as a visual symbol of the projects undertaken by missionaries overseas.

In the weeks leading up to Lent, students in Grades 1 and 9 teamed up to produce colourful posters creating awareness of Holy Childhood and upcoming school events to raise money for the association.

Fougere said the senior students working alongside their "little buddies" was a bonding moment.

"The younger children were proud to be involved," she said.

More than 850 elementary and junior high students and staff from across the Edmonton Archdiocese joined Archbishop Thomas Collins May 3 who celebrated the annual Holy Childhood Mass at Holy Family Church in St. Albert.

Also on hand were Fathers Devadas Narisetty, associate pastor at Holy Family, Stephen Wojcichowsky of the Ukrainian Eparchy, and Michael Troy, director of Holy Childhood for the Edmonton Archdiocese.

"Children helping children is the generosity, love and care of all of you and the children in our community who reach out to help your brothers and sisters throughout the world," the archbishop told the gathering.

Between 1997 and 2003, contributions to Holy Childhood from the archdiocese's children, families and parishes have multiplied almost eight-fold, from $6,500 a year to $46,000.

Last year (2004-05), the archdiocese contributed nearly $54,000.

Understanding want

Fougere said Holy Spirit School is supporting a mission in Bangladesh where $1 can immunize 20 children from disease. Compared to that startling statistic, the students realize the abundance of riches here at home.

"The students have a vision of how they actually are helping other children. In North America, we can barely visualize hunger, " said Fougere. "If we get hungry, we go to the fridge. I feel the children have become more sensitive to this - and to waste. I've noticed there is much less in the garbage can. It used to be filled over the top."

The activities were many including a silent auction for the junior highs, with donated items and a fun carnival for K-6. Tickets for the carnival ranged from a quarter to a loonie that bought chances to have their hair braided, faces painted or a cast into the fish pond. There was a treasure box, timed video games and remote controlled car races.

Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 -- Western Catholic Reporter