School of the Holy Child, Rye, NY Students at School of the Holy Child lend a helping hand Respond to Katrina Relief Efforts Our community’s response to the Katrina disaster was swift and broad. Outpourings of support and concern came from all corners; students, parents, faculty, and administration, as well as other local area schools. We recognize that the needs of the affected communities of the Gulf Coast must be met not only now but in the months and years to come. Our initial efforts have focused on fundraising for the Henriette Delille School in New Orleans, another Holy Child School. Freshman Christina Traficante initiated a program that sold packages of pencils and chocolate. Sophomore Samantha Israel sold silver and crystal bracelets that she makes herself and donated the proceeds. Junior Mandy Tobin sold t-shirts with a “I helped the Katrina Relief Effort” slogan on them. Campus Ministry students are gearing up to continue our efforts in other ways throughout the year. Stay tuned as we continue to report how our community can support our sisters and brothers of the Gulf Coast. Click here to view the letter on our website about our Katrina Relief efforts. Halloween On Wednesday, October 26th, High School Campus Ministry addressed the issue of homelessness by hosting a Halloween party for 29 homeless children from the Westhab Family Center. Campus Ministry spearheaded the effort which involved the entire student body. Students donated costumes, food, and supplies. The children had dinner, chose their costumes, had their faces painted, decorated pumpkins, and went home happily with a bag of candy in hand. Holy Child students were joined by students and faculty from Fordham Prep which has become an annual tradition. Director of Campus Ministry, Marieé Walton said, “The senior leaders in Campus Ministry: Dana Parsons, Noelle Tudor, Colleen Flannery, Ramona Redlingshafer, and Elizabeth Schauber, did a superb job at organizing this event. Their skillful leadership was evident by the overwhelming generosity of the student body and 29 happy faces that left Holy Child on Wednesday night.” Thanksgiving Campus Ministry donated food to the Grace Church Food Pantry in White Plains for thanksgiving. Sister Alice Conrad, RDC from Grace Church came to Holy Child on Monday, November 21, 2005 and led the students in a prayer service for Thanksgiving. The students took turns reciting contemporary Beatitudes and reflecting on the ways we are called to serve others. We thank Sister Alice for sharing the Grace Church’s mission with us. Holy Child Middle School students collected food and toiletries for Holy Rosary Soup Kitchen in Port Chester and the Mercy Center in the Bronx as part of their Thanksgiving Community Service projects. Each grade was assigned different items including soups, tomato sauce, rice, cereal, coffee, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, diapers and baby clothes. Christmas For the past 10 years, Holy Child's fifth, sixth and seventh graders have been filling gift bags for the children in Banner, Kentucky. Banner, Kentucky is a very economically depressed area of the United States. This year, the students filled over 120 gift bags with candy and toys. When the gift bags arrived in Banner, KY, Santa Clause distributed them to local children in the area. The Middle School chooses to send gifts to this area to let the children know that we care about them and wish them a Happy Holiday. The eighth graders wrapped presents and filled stockings for the children who will be spending Christmas in The Behavioral Health Center at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. Maribeth Abrencia, a nurse who works with the boys and girls, tells us that these children love getting our stockings and unwrapping each little gift. It distracts them from the difficulty of being in the hospital at Christmas. The entire Middle School faculty and students bought baby clothes for the Mercy Center in the Bronx. High school students collected toys and books for children affected by Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Alumna Brittany Kent ’04 and her sister Siobhan ’06 led the drive and shipped the toys to Mississippi. Midnight Run Students are gearing up for another Midnight Run in late January/early February. Twenty people will drive into the city to deliver food, clothing, and compassion to the city’s homeless.