HIGHLAND MILLS — More than 130 Monroe-Woodbury School District students will walk into their classrooms next week with new back packs and school supplies to launch the new academic year, thanks to the annual mission project of the St. Patrick’s Church Vacation Bible School, which raised $5,000 in just a week’s time.
An estimated 60 students now have back packs with 75 families already receiving school supplies. More families are coming in each day according to Patricia Murray, who directs the church’s vacation bible school program with Theresa Weissburg.
The Highland Mills church’s vacation bible school is an ecumenical program that includes 193 students, 136 teen volunteers and 63 adult volunteers from 13 different area churches. It takes place during the first week of summer for students in kindergarten through fifth-grade and includes Bible lessons, singing, arts and crafts, snacks and recreation.
“The center of vacation bible school is the mission project to provide service to the community,” said Murray. “This year, we chose to help the students and families of our local community. The fifth grade team, under the guidance of Leigh Ann Incledon, organized the collection of school supplies for Monroe-Woodbury students.”
Many fifth-graders will return the following year to work with adult volunteers to run the vacation bible school but are given the responsibility of spearheading a project during their last year as student participants.
“They’re just so many people who are desperately in need,” said Murray. “Imagine asking somebody who doesn’t have any money for food to go out and buy a calculator.”
Through various fundraising activities, including a student performance which solicited donations in lieu of admission fees, a church collection and cash contributions, $5,000 was collected in a week’s time, allowing Murray and Weissburg to go to the Central Valley Staples to buy all kinds of items, using Monroe-Woodbury supply class lists as a guide.
They set up their own version of a mini-Staples in Murray’s classroom at North Main Elementary in Monroe where she is a music/vocal teacher, and readied themselves to handout the items.
But first, word needed to get out to those in need that help was available to them.
“The supplies are intended to be for all students at Monroe-Woodbury, but a lot of this information (as to who is in need) is confidential,” said Murray. “You need a person who can get the word out in the community. Matthew Kravatz (North Main principal) and Dolores Terlecky (assistant principal) made the direct connection with the community possible. Not only did they reach out to local families, but also they helped the students from kindergarten to 12th grade select the supplies they need to start the school year successfully.”
Students from all schools, enrolled in the district’s summer program based at North Main, were among the first children to select their supplies. As word spread, other elementary school families stopped by with their lists. Murray said once they received their supplies, many students came back with other family members who attend the middle school and high school so those older students could get supplies.
“They’re still coming in,” said Murray. “There’s two things I see. The first one is the overwhelming joy they realize when there’s no payment attached. Almost everyone comes up to me and says, ‘God bless,’ they’re just so thrilled. Second, they’re only taking exactly what they need. They’re following those supply lists to the letter. If they already have crayons, they tell us and leave them for someone else. It’s very humbling.”
In past years, the vacation bible school raised funds for Smile Train, Island Impact Ministries and Habitat for Humanity, but this year’s choice hit home for the young fund raisers.
“We try to pick projects the little ones understand and can get behind,” added Murray. They understand this. One week to raise $5,000. It’s an incredibly generous community. If you tell them there’s a need, they step up.”
- Nancy Kriz