November 28, 2016

Catholic school students raise money, buy toys for Baystate Children’s Hospital

REGIONAL
Story and photos by David Martin

SPRINGFIELD — Eighth grade students at Blessed Sacrament School in Holyoke wanted to share joy and happiness with patients at Baystate Medical Center’s Children Hospital this holiday season.

So, members of the eighth grade class, along with faculty and parents, went to the hospital and delivered toys that they bought with the $1,800 they raised for their “Coins for Kids” project.

Sister of St. Joseph Susan Swasey teaches the eighth grade class and spearheaded the project. She saw a television report stating that Baystate Medical Center was going to start a campaign for toy contributions, since the Hasbro Company moved and would no longer be donating to the children’s hospital, where their toy room was depleted.

Sister Swasey and another teacher brought the story to the attention of the principal, Anne O’Connor, and they decided to present the idea of collecting toys with the eighth grade class.

Eighth-grader Jillian Dietz said participating in this campaign goes along with the Catholic values they are taught in the classroom because it reflects that people are meant to give to other people and treat others as they wish to be treated.

“We want to treat other people with respect and we want to make them happy so that we can be happy too,” said Dietz.

Sister Swasey said students set up donation jars in each of the classrooms and explained to other students and parents what they were collecting for and the donations added up to $700. They also wanted to involve the parish community at Blessed Sacrament. So they discussed it with the pastor, Father Robert A. Gentile, who agreed it was a great idea.

During Masses one weekend, the students set up a “Coins for Kids” campaign outside of church and ended up collecting $1,100 during the campaign. After combining the funds, the students and three parents volunteered to go out and do the shopping.

Sister Swasey said Baystate offered a list of toys online, recommending which toys to purchase for babies up to teenagers. She said the male students picked out what other boys would like and the female students picked out what the babies and girls would like. They went shopping to various stores, including A.C. Moore, which gave them a great deal, with a $100 more to buy even more toys.

Sister Swasey said it made her feel really proud to see how her students have shown that they are willing to go above and beyond to accomplish something.

“These are eighth-graders going on to high school and hopefully we have instilled in them that need to share and to help and if we have done that we have done a good job,” said Sister Swasey.

Eighth-grader Matthew Dulude said he learned it is important to share happiness with others who are less fortunate and whatever deed one can do, no matter how big or small, will always make a difference. He said it was a great experience delivering the toys to Baystate Medical Center today and posing around the Christmas tree.

“It was just a good environment. I like how everybody was in a good mood, like I was. It was just a nice time,” said Dulude.

Dietz said it is important for community members to remember others who are needy at Christmastime.

Watch for a video version of this story on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 on WWLP-22NEWS.