Students at St. Gabriel and Holy Trinity Middle schools in Charlotte collected more than 700 toys to donate to Hemby Children’s Hospital and St. Jude’s Clinic. (Photos Provided by Shawn Flynn)CHARLOTTE — A rising fifth-grader at St. Gabriel School recently helped organize a toy drive that collected more than 700 toys for Hemby Children’s Hospital and St. Jude’s Clinic.
Aidan Flynn’s younger brother, Liam, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in October. While his brother was in the hospital, Liam built 65 Lego sets in 79 days, Aidan explains.
“I wanted to organize a toy drive because Liam used so many toys while he was in the hospital. We wanted to help other kids get new toys to use,” he says.
Liam, a rising second-grader, has completed his treatment, says his father, Shawn Flynn. Currently, all of his scans are clear.
Having new toys for the hospital to use is very important, Shawn Flynn notes. It is hard to rewash and sanitize toys, so they often give them to the children to keep.
After Liam returned to school from being in the Charlotte hospital, the school had a huge celebration for him, and that’s when they kicked off the toy drive. Toys were collected at St. Gabriel School, Holy Trinity Middle School and The Cradle at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte.
“We collected everything, for babies up through teenagers,” Aidan Flynn says. “Games, Legos, coloring books, a lot of random toys – so many it filled a whole theater at the hospital! It filled the room, and some of the people who worked there, they looked shocked when they saw all the toys.”
Families in the Flynns’ Cotswold neighborhood, with children who attend the two Catholic schools, helped organize this effort. The toys were collected in May and recently dropped off at the hospital.
“It feels pretty good to help,” says Aidan. “It feels even better because I know what it was like to go through this. I know how it will help other kids.”
While the timing wasn’t planned, Shawn Flynn says they learned the supply of toys donated to the Hemby Children’s Hospital at Christmas-time tends to run low by the start of summer.
“So many people helped out with this and the response was amazing,” he says. “Aidan is a pretty awesome big brother to organize this.”
— Kimberly Bender, online reporter
GREENSBORO — St. Pius X middle school students know a thing or two about stewardship. Throughout much of the month of May, St. Pius middle schoolers have ventured out of the classroom to share their unique talents of kindness, compassion and spirituality with those who may not have been given the same opportunities that they enjoy on a daily basis.
St. Pius X middle school religion teacher, Bill Parker, led his sixth-graders to the American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro May 3 to help with the annual Special Olympics of Greensboro. Students enjoyed cheering on participants, recording times and scores, and giving recognition to the student athletes.
A week later Parker led his eighth-grade classes to Gateway Education Center of Greensboro to host the Gateway Prom. This prom was given as a special party for the students at Gateway, a school for students with special needs. St. Pius X middle school students enjoyed pushing wheelchairs around the dance floor as they sang along with the DJ and danced with the students served by Gateway. There were no wallflowers here as SPX students, acting as the hands and feet of Jesus, made sure every student at the Gateway Prom felt important and loved.
Parker said the highlight of the afternoon was a conga line started by the students that encompassed all the participants dancing or wheeling around the perimeter of the gym.
Stewardship is a large part of the academic program for St. Pius X middle schoolers. In April, students were each given $10 by the school’s PTO and challenged to “pay it forward” in some way within the community.
Students enjoyed being creative with their resources, as individuals and working as groups, to combine their money to use in the community in diverse ways. Through this “pay it forward” project, students were able to assist organizations like Reelin’ For Research and the American Red Cross.
Parker hopes that in the future his students can continue to grow their stewardship beyond the walls of his classroom to continue to assist the community in meaningful ways.
— April Parker
