Spalding Catholic holds service day, Hunger Banquet

Nov. 29, 2007

GRANVILLE - Junior and senior high students from Spalding Catholic participated in a day of service and Hunger Banquet on Nov. 21.

The day started off with prayer in the gym, followed by the Kids Against Hunger video, which showed Spalding students packaging meals last May and then the meals arriving in Tanzania and Honduras, noted Brenda Ortmann, business teacher and Student Council moderator, was the main organizer of the event.

"The students then participated with their homerooms in various service projects - hosting a bingo party, visiting a nursing home, preparing meals for shut ins, raking leaves and so forth," she said. There were nine different service projects going on.

At 11:30 a.m., everyone came back to school and participated in a Hunger Banquet. Matt Breen of KTIV-TV was emcee.

Fifteen percent of the population was considered high income, so they were seated on a nicely set table and served appetizers, a main course and a dessert. The middle income consisted of 25 percent and they had chicken noodle soup and were able to sit in the bleachers.

"The rest were considered low income and received rice and had to sit on the floor," noted Ortmann. "They were each given a number when they walked into the gym and then we drew numbers for each income level."

It was important for the Hunger Banquet to be part of the day because although few left the banquet with a full stomach, the faculty and administration hoped that all left with a greater understanding of the problems of global hunger and poverty and the motivation to do something about it.

"As a teacher, it was important for the students to participate to be able to see what happens outside of our little area here in northwest Iowa," said Ortmann. "We are very fortunate to have what we have here and through this experience, they experienced firsthand how unfair life can be and that many don't choose what they have been dealt in life."

In the spring, the school plans to do Kids Against Hunger once again.

The day concluded with Mass at 1:15 p.m.