HENDERSONVILLE — Christmas might look different in western North Carolina as families struggle to put their lives back together in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene, but Immaculata School is trying to make the holiday feel as normal as possible for local students.
Immaculata’s Principal Margaret Beale said school officials have been concerned that families would begin to feel the lasting impacts of the storm as the holidays approached.
“We were hearing our kids saying in passing that their families are not going to have a Christmas this year,” Beale said.
That’s when the school sprang into action to help. “We wanted to create an Immaculata Christmas store where families could shop for gifts for the kids and Christmas decorations for their homes at no cost.”
While the school has received assistance from schools across the country, many wanted to give more tangible items for families to have at Christmas, Beale said.
To make sure that parents had access to everything from board games and Barbie dolls to squishmallows and bicycles, Immaculata created an Amazon wish list, and schools and individuals from across the country have responded. The president of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, for example, planned a Dec. 11 drive to Immaculata with a truck filled with toys to help stock the store.
The store will be open to families of Immaculata and Asheville Catholic students as well as families of Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish to shop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15.
Want to help?
At www.a.co/j4vyYS0: Shop Immaculata’s Amazon wish list to send items directly to the school
GREENSBORO — The St. Pius X School and parish community celebrated the blessing of its new turf field on Dec. 3.
Donors, parents and parishioners joined Dr. Greg Monroe, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Charlotte, St. Pius X Pastor Father Christian Cook, Principal Antonette Barilla, Athletics Director Kristin Shelton, students and staff for the celebration and inaugural run.
The school is grateful to the many families who donated funds to make this vision a reality, and extends special thanks to the Parr Family, who the field is named for; the Parish Facilities committee headed by Al Abram, and to Tara Thacker, Heather Suire and Weezie Keiner for organizing Tuesday’s beautiful celebration.
Father Cook also extends his thanks to for the vision of the late Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio for this new state-of-art facility.
— Photos by Elena Leone
