Sixth graders involved in Campus Ministry at St. Viator School, completed their first service project of the year this week and it came down to this simple premise: kids helping kids.
Br. Peter Lamick makes a point with a 6th grader.
Working hand in hand with Viatorian professed and associates, sixth graders prepared hygiene kits for a local nonprofit organization known as Project 150. Its mission is to provide free support and services to homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high school students so they can remain in school, graduate and build bright futures. St. Viator students not only packed each kit, they made decorative messages to include in each one.
“Campus Ministry is up and running this year, starting with this project that carries out the true Viatorian compassion for those accounted of little importance,” says Associate Rosy Hartz, Director of Faith Formation at St. Viator Catholic Community.
Campus Ministry Director Jamie Reyburn organized the project in partnership with Catherine Fitzpatrick, chairman of the Community Outreach ministry. The hands-on project drew the involvement of Fr. Dan Belanger, CSV, Parochial Vicar and Br. Peter Lamick, CSV, as well as Associates Janet Manfredi, Deborah Perez, and Pre-Associates Mary Ellen Dorough and Paul Mertzman, Assistant Principal.
(L-R) Br. Peter Lamick, Associates Deb Perez and Rosy Hartz, CRSV student volunteer Colt, Associate Janet Manfredi, Fr. Dan Belanger and Pre-Associates Mary Ellen Dorough and Paul Mertzman
Last year, seventh and eighth graders volunteered at Project 150, so the school has developed a working relationship with the organization. Yet, rather than have the sixth graders pack up the kits for someone else to deliver them, Jamie arranged for the class to walk over to the site and hand deliver their donations.
“They loved getting a tour of the store,” Jamie said. “It’s a place where they would love to shop, which further showed them that this was a place someone could go for help and feel normal.
“By creating the bags, and then actually delivering them, I could see that they understood they were helping kids about their age,” Jamie said. “It was a touching moment to see them understand what it is to give back to the community — right next door to their school.”
Sixth graders in front off Project 150 with Fr. Dan Belanger
Rosy was one of three Viatorian associates to bring Campus Ministry to the elementary school. Together with her husband, Associate Paul Hartz and Associate Kathy Keating, they conceived the idea after taking high school students from the parish to the Viatorian Youth Congress. They decided educating students about the Viatorian charism — and its emphasis on service and embracing those accounted of little importance — should start earlier.
Consequently, St. Viator School was the first in the Diocese of Las Vegas to offer Campus Ministry at the junior high level and it continues to be a valued component of a Viatorian education. A grant from the Viatorian Community every year underwrites the cost.