Students assist disaster victims

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
January 26, 2006

Schools throughout the Diocese of Sioux City have helped people outside the diocese in the last year by sending money or items to people who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina or the tsunami.

Three fifth grade students at the Mater Dei-Immaculate Conception Center in Sioux City decided to take action after watching the horrible images of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina on TV. Clayton Bengford, Nathan Jochum and Nick Yaneff decided something needed to be done for the children who lost all of their possessions.

The boys decided to hold a toy drive at school. The boys decided to call their fifth grade friends and ask them to bring toys to school.

"It was a weekend project that they put together," said Andrea Bengford, third grade teacher at Mater Dei-Immaculate Conception Center. "They made posters. They asked the kids to bring in their toys that are in good shape that they aren't playing with anymore because of the hurricane victims and how they had lost all of their toys."

The fifth grade students brought in toys which encouraged all the other grades to pitch in as well. It became a kindergarten through fifth grade event. The boys took the donated items each day after school to the semi-truck at the Southern Hills Mall.

"We have Gospel values at Mater Dei, and we try to instill in the children how important compassion is," said Andrea. "We tried to explain to them that these children lost their homes, lost their beloved toys. We asked the children to share what they have with those children who have lost everything. The families at Mater Dei have really gone above and beyond. Every time there is an emergency of some kind, they really know how to share their love."

She continued that it is important to instill values and morals in the children - not just teach them science, math and language.

"When children leave Mater Dei, we want them to know the importance of family and helping their community," said Andrea.

Students at Sacred Heart in Boone went in with Carroll Kuemper to adopt a school. They sent school supplies and also collected pennies and canned goods at the end of the month Mass.

"We set up a fund and have been putting pennies or nickels and dimes in that students bring in," said Jeffry Lynch, principal at Sacred Heart. "We put it in a bank account and we will send them a check at the end of the year of the money that we have collected."

The canned goods have been sent at different times either through the Red Cross or Salvation Army.

"As Catholics it is part of our calling that we need to care not just about ourselves but for the community," said Lynch. "Our community is not just here. It is nationwide. Here is a situation that was a good learning lesson for the students - we need to care for people not just ourselves. It was an opportunity to make a life lesson."

This project is going to continue throughout the year. He explained that teaching compassion for other is "something that we need for us to continue in our society to have feelings for each other. By doing this and making them a part of it, they understand that it doesn't have to be at this very moment. It can be something that is ongoing and it is a lesson that they are going to take with them throughout their times."

Lynch hopes that the students remember this when other things come about.

St. Edmond School system in Fort Dodge has had several collections in the last year and has brought in about $10,000.

"We did a lot of church collections at school Masses," said Sister Delores Hannon, RSM, president of St. Edmond.

The students sold Gael pride bracelets to raise money for tsunami relief. They have had a few jeans days to support the disaster relief efforts as well. The students also do crop walks, raise food for the food pantry and many other things.

"I work out of the premise that we are greatly blessed here," said Sister Delores. "We have a responsibility to share our blessings. We have gone away from selling the kids something or giving them a privilege. We explain that this is part of our responsibility as members of the world and faith community. We need to actively support other people."

According to Sister Delores, the school has not done big projects.

"We are people of abundance, and we need to be conscious of that. We need to share," said Sister Delores. "In a world that I could create perfectly, I would like people who see beyond themselves. One of our responsibilities is that we need to help our young people see that we have a responsibility beyond ourselves."

She commented that at St. Edmond there are a lot of adult examples who give of their time and talent.

"When they see that demonstrated, it is a lot easier to get them to agree with us," said Sister Delores. "We see it in the amount volunteers that we have in our school and in our parish. That really does help young people understand what we are talking about."

The whole system is involved from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

"I firmly believe that we have an obligation," said Sister Delores.