WINSTON-SALEM — St. Leo the Great Church hosted its annual Christmas Outreach Program Dec. 9-10, providing 56 families (more than 200 people) with Christmas dinner, gifts and groceries.
The families came from churches as far north as St. Joseph of the Hills in Eden and as far south as Our Lady of the Highways in Thomasville, as well as families in Winston-Salem who work with Experiment in Self Reliance (ESR) in becoming independent and moving forward in their lives. Parishioners repeat the Outreach Program at Eastertime.
— Pam McVicker
CHARLOTTE — Ben Pingree, an eighth-grade student at Holy Trinity Middle School and a member of St John Neumann Church, helped deliver two of 68 bikes that parishioners recently donated to Operation Santa’s Helpers.
Volunteers from several organizations at St John Neumann Church, including members of the Youth Group and Knights of Columbus, delivered the bikes and other presents, food and clothing to nearly 300 families in the Charlotte area Dec. 16.
The annual Operation Santa’s Helpers event also drew participation from Charlotte Catholic High School students and its champion football team. The school’s effort was coordinated by Mary Jayne Dawson, head of Campus Ministry, with help from Athletic Director Kevin Christmas, football coach Mike Brodowicz and lacrosse coach Bo Turner.
— Al Tinson