Loose Creek students pool efforts for Samaritan Center

A small school of only 89 students, Immaculate Conception School in Loose Creek dropped off 1,473 food items and more than 300 clothing items to the Samaritan Center on Wednesday.

The food drive was the result of seven weeks of work from 30 or so sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students. Parents, residents, church members and businesses from the area all pitched in to make the project possible.

Thomas Fischer, the teacher in charge of the food drive, said the project was part of a new program on community service at the school designed to teach their students about the importance of giving.

“Being a servant doesn't mean you go out and do things to get something back, but do something to do something good,” Fischer said.

“One our sacraments is where you help the most vulnerable in our society.”

To prepare for the project, the school asked Marylyn DeFeo, volunteer executive director of the Samaritan Center, to come and speak to the students about how people benefit from the organization.

Fischer said DeFeo told them what they did in the next several weeks would help determine how those people are fed and clothed.

The students were excited when they finally dropped off their large donation.

And when workers told them the supplies would only last the day, Fischer said their eyes bugged out.

“They just didn't know ... how much help people in this area needed help,” Fischer said.

Afterwards, the students wanted to hold a pizza party to celebrate their success, but because Fisher told them no. He wanted them to realize volunteering should be a selfless act.

With their volunteer class requiring at least an hour of community service a week, more projects from the students are in the works.

“This is a class they have to take. We place the same importance on that as history or geography,” Fisher said. “They have to learn the importance of community giving.”

Thirty fifth-, sixth- and seventh-graders from Imaculate Conception in Loose Creek donated more than 1,400 boxes and cans of food to the Samaritan Center Wednesday. (Stephen Brooks/News Tribune photo)