ACTS OF KINDNESS
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contact us at timesledgernews@schnepsmedia.com.
St. Francis Prep gives back
during the holiday season
Suzanne Camus (c.) with members of Prep’s Alumni Board and student volunteers. Courtesy of St. Francis Prep
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
At St. Francis Prep, the
holidays are always a time to
focus on those in need — and
the Fresh Meadows school
community gave a helping hand
this holiday season with two
major charitable events.
On Dec. 15, St. Francis Prep
— located at 61-00 Francis Lewis
Blvd. — welcomed disabled men
and women throughout Brooklyn
and Queens to its annual party
Our Friends with Special Needs.
The celebration included a
light breakfast, Mass, lunch,
live music, the SFP Chamber of
Orchestra, the SFP dance team,
and a visit from Santa.
“In 1980, Sister Joseph Agnes
Hohmann asked a number of
volunteers to assist some ‘very
precious men and women’ at St.
Francis Prep’s Annual Christmas
Party for our Friends with
Special Needs,” said Suzanne
Camus, a social studies teacher
and organizer of the party. “Little
did those people realize that she
was teaching the true meaning of
Christmas: Service to others in
the great Franciscan tradition.
Sister Agnes died in 2005, but
St. Francis Prep’s alumni and
faculty are working together
to keep the party alive in her
memory, according to Camus.
Each guest received a
Christmas gift and a favor as
they left the party. Since many of
their guests do not have families,
the party is the only celebration
of the holiday they enjoy.
St. Francis’ efforts are
supported by the Colgate
Palmolive Company, JP Morgan
Chase, the St. Francis Prep
Alumni Association, Father’s
Guild and Mother’s Guild, and
over 200 student volunteers. The
Italian Club and various other
SFP clubs are also involved in
the party.
In November, St. Francis Prep’s
annual Thanksgiving drive in
mid-November martialed the
entire school. The drive started
with a school-wide prayer service
that served to outline the goals
for the drive.
Both Reverend Ralph Edel,
Prep’s Chaplain, and senior Ashley
Caturano spoke to the school.
Prep’s Campus Minister for
Service Learning, Ashley’s
comments in particular, about the
value of giving, and the impact of
service, were especially resonant,
according to Shawn Sempowich.
Each COR (or homeroom) was
given a specific request, such as
baby products, and the results
were, said Sempowhich, “the best
results in years.”
“The kids were very, very open.
Definitely a culture of giving
amongst the students and that
translated into success. This
year was more of a grass roots
effort and the kids rallied around
the cause,” said Sempowhich.
The organizations that
benefitted from the drive were
St. John’s Bread and Life, Hour
Children’s House, Queen of
Peace Residence, Presentation
Parish Soup Kitchen, St.
Aloysius Food Pantry, St.
Francis Table at St. Matthias,
and Incarnation Food Pantry.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone at
(718) 260–4526.
TIMESLEDGER,TIMESLEDGER.COM JAN. 11-17, 2019 19
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