April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4 www.olgcnj.org The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 19 The children in Kindergarten A and B enjoyed an Easter egg hunt on Wed., April 4 on the grounds <strong>of</strong> the rectory. Photos by Michelle Molz Mrs. Mary Rose Adams and the children from KB show <strong>of</strong>f the eggs they found. Children from KB line up after the egg hunt. Sister Rosemarie and Mrs. Kathy Cummings with the children from KA after the hunt.
20 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012 www.olgcnj.org Baskets <strong>of</strong> Easter Joy By Mrs. R.A. Conners, Grade 8 ILA Teacher, Student Council Moderator In the parable <strong>of</strong> the Multiplication <strong>of</strong> the Loaves and Fishes, Jesus feeds a multitude <strong>of</strong> people by miraculously transforming several loaves and a few fish into so much food that several large baskets were needed to hold the leftover food after the hunger <strong>of</strong> the crowd who had come to hear Jesus speak had been satisfied. During this Lenten Season, our school students, their parents, and the Student Council <strong>of</strong> Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School participated in an event which, while not a miracle, was something just short <strong>of</strong> miraculous. On Friday, February 17, 2012 I received an email from Mrs. Darlene Altschuler, the mother <strong>of</strong> two <strong>of</strong> our students, asking if our school would be willing to once again participate in a fund raising activity that would benefit Catholic Charities Food Bank and the students at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School, a school which educates students ages 3 to 21 with multiple disabilities who cannot be educated in a typical classroom. Proceeds from the sale <strong>of</strong> baskets made by the Bancr<strong>of</strong>t students would be used for “Walk Now for Autism Speaks”. With Mr. McGowan’s approval the Student Council, under my direction, and the Student Council members at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School, under the direction <strong>of</strong> Ms. Donna Vukicerich, Supervisor <strong>of</strong> Bancr<strong>of</strong>t Student Council and Administrative Assistant to Bancr<strong>of</strong>t Principal Bob Lenherr, began a joint project which culminated in the collection <strong>of</strong> 100 Easter Baskets donated by the parents <strong>of</strong> <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong>’s school. In addition to those 100 baskets, our parents also purchased and then donated 150 baskets which were made by the Student Council members at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School. As the days passed and the baskets started filling up my classroom it became increasingly difficult to walk across the front <strong>of</strong> my room or write on the chalkboard. We had baskets on bookshelves, windowsills, and chairs. If I left the door to my classroom open, I could hear the students passing in the hallway exclaiming to each other about the growing number <strong>of</strong> baskets each day. Dare I say the baskets were multiplying like rabbits The students whom I teach began checking the baskets and trying to decide which was their favorite. In previous years, we collected baskets and then the Student Council members would load them on a truck and they would go <strong>of</strong>f to Catholic Charities and that would be the end <strong>of</strong> things. This year we put a new twist on things. On Tuesday, April 3, Ms. Vukicevich and seven (7) Student Council members from Bancr<strong>of</strong>t came to our school to meet our Student Council members and to show them some <strong>of</strong> the baskets they had made. The meeting took place in my homeroom and it was a wonder to behold. The students from Bancr<strong>of</strong>t, who were very excited to meet with our students, were met with smiles and waves. One young man from Bancr<strong>of</strong>t walked right into my classroom and introduced himself to Mr. McGowan, my students, and me and then directed his fellow students to line up for pictures in a fashion Right: Student Council from Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School and OLGC, along with Mrs. Rosemary Conners with the Easter baskets collected from the school. Middle: Student Council members load the vans with Easter baskets Bottom: Left to right: Mrs. R.A. Conners, Lauren Belecanech, Grade 8 Home Room Student Council Representative, Dominic Colon, Grade 8 Student, Erin Feeney, Student Council President. similar to the way our students were arranged and pretty much made sure things went as they should. His enthusiasm was infectious and he had our students and the adults laughing as they followed his directions. Mrs. Altschuler later told me that the Bancr<strong>of</strong>t students felt they had made many new friends that day. After several moments <strong>of</strong> picture taking, the students carried the baskets out to the playground where they loaded them onto trucks for delivery to Catholic Charities Food Bank. Two <strong>of</strong> our Student Council members, Erin Feeney and Robert Sheppard, were given permission to accompany Dr. Dix and Mrs. Laura Kowalick to the Food Bank. This was a unique opportunity for our students who reported, “The people at Catholic Charities were very surprised to see how many baskets we brought, so many baskets that we lined the hallway and filled the <strong>of</strong>fices <strong>of</strong> the people working there. When we left, we felt very happy because we did a nice deed for others.” <strong>Our</strong> students and the students at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School combined their efforts in a project which had far reaching effects on our home, school, and local communities. The students at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t used their skills to create beautiful Easter baskets for others, our parents purchased and donated those baskets, and our students helped with the collection and delivery <strong>of</strong> those baskets. The ripple effect <strong>of</strong> those simple acts is wide spread. <strong>Our</strong> students benefitted by helping others, Bancr<strong>of</strong>t students benefitted by developing real life work skills, Catholic Charities and the food bank benefitted from our donation <strong>of</strong> baskets, and “Walk Now for Autism Speaks” also benefitted. This one “nice deed” touched the lives <strong>of</strong> hundreds <strong>of</strong> people. So, following in the footsteps <strong>of</strong> Jesus, all involved contributed in a variety <strong>of</strong> ways to take one simple act and multiply the effects <strong>of</strong> that act to impact the lives and well being <strong>of</strong> hundreds. With a grateful heart I would like to <strong>of</strong>fer a sincere “Thank you!” to all involved.
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