CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOLS REPORT MORE THAN $140,000 COLLECTED FOR HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS AND EVACUEES

St. Ailbe, Chicago
Stephanie A. Clausell, Principal
773-734-1386
St. Ailbe School’s efforts to support displaced students/families of Hurricane Katrina and relief efforts with a special school mass collection on Thursday, September 15th 2005. There will also be a school-wide car wash sponsored by the student body on Saturday, September 24th 2005.

St. Alphonsus Liguori, Prospect Heights
Peter Tantillo, Principal
847-255-5538
Collected $3,400 on Friday, September 2 through efforts organized by their Student Council; Wheeling corporate neighbor Segerdahl Corporation has offered to match the total amount contributed. Other events to aid relief efforts being planned include collecting cash donations at the Back-to-School Ice Cream Social.

Ascension, Oak Park
Mary Jo Burns, Principal
708-386-7282
Ascension has a strong affiliation with Ursuline missions since this order staffed the school until 1985.  The school began fundraising to support Ursuline Shreveport schools and Katrina's Kids.  Student Council will continue with other projects in the future.

St. Barnabas, Chicago
Elizabeth Gard, Principal
773-445-7711
At the opening Mass on Friday, September 2, the St. Barnabas School community--students, staff, families--collected $2,500 for Hurricane Relief.

Cardinal Bernardin Early Childhood Center, Chicago
Sr. Barbara Jean (Bee Jay) Ciszek, CSJ, Principal
773-975-6330
Working with one of the school’s grandparents and "Veterans for Peace," donations will be collected and will leave by truck to go to families in Covington, Louisiana.

Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Orland Hills
Judy Schutter, Principal
708-403-6525
The Student Council is selling bracelets inscripted with CJB Cares, with funds going to Catholic Charities, Red Cross, and PADS (the local organization sponsoring the Tinley Park shelter). A student-initiated collection, CJB Kids Caring for Katrina Kids, is taking place for items needed by the children at the Tinley Park Health Center. They are collecting personal items, toys, books, games, etc. for the children. Cards will be made for the Katrina survivors in conjunction with the celebration of "National Anthem Day". The faculty and staff of CJB donated paper goods, silverware, etc. for the Tinley Park Shelter.

Carmel High School, Mundelein
Sr. Mary Frances McLaughlin, BVM, President
Fr. Robert C. Carroll, O. Carm., Ph.D., Principal
847-566-3000
Students at Carmel High School raised an additional $1,700 for Hurricane Relief at their Homecoming Coronation event bringing their grand total to $15,305.24 for Catholic Charities USA.

St. Catherine – St. Lucy, Oak Park
Sr. Marion Cypser, RSM, Principal
708-386-5286
Teachers and students decided on a project to aide the victims of Hurricane Katrina by “adopting” families in a shelter at St. Martin de Porres as they move from temporary housing in Chicago to more permanent housing. They are asking each student and teacher to donate $5 (or whatever they can afford) to their hurricane victim’s fund. With the money collected they will purchase pre-paid Visa cards. The school community will be accepting new household donations at the gym on Oct. 1 from 8 a.m. to noon.

St. Colette School, Rolling Meadows
Valerie Zemko, Principal
847-392-4098
Faculty and student council decided to do monthly fund raisers to help with relief efforts; selling chances for a guess the m&m raffle this week, next week they are having a non-uniform day for the children for $1 and a dress down day for the faculty and staff for $5. During Catholic Schools week the proceeds of our annual "White Elephant" Sale will go to Catholic Charities for hurricane relief.

St. Cyprian, River Grove
Sr. Kathleen Klingen, OP, Principal
708-453-6300
Once it was determined that the family of an 8 th grader in Louisiana was okay, this student took it upon herself to find out what her school could do and called her grandmother’s pastor in LA, Fr. Medina at St. Anthony in Natchitoches, LA. St. Cyprian’s opening school mass collection was $624.87 and two additional donations brought the total to $874.87. The money has been sent to Fr. Medina and his parish will be able to help Northwestern State University where a shelter has been established.
Students also collected water, soap, shampoo, etc. that were taken to hurricane victims now sheltered at Madden Mental Health Facility in Maywood (part of the Loyola Hospital complex). The Village of River Grove also called on St. Cyprian students to collect backpacks and fill them with things children may want or need.

St. Edmund, Oak Park
Sr. Collette Mary White, O.P., Principal
708-386-5131
Students have raised over $1,400 for Hurricane Katrina relief.

St. Edward School, Chicago
Sister Marie Michelle, OP, Principal
773-736-9133
A Prayer Service will be conduced in Church on Friday, September 16th at 2:00 p.m. and parents are invited to attend. At that time, they will be collecting the money for the NCEA “Child to Child” Aid Program. Additionally, one of their aides has a son who works for Second Harvest and he is bringing letters from St. Edward students to the shelters in the Gulf area.

Saints Faith Hope & Charity, Winnetka
Mary Rehfield, Principal
847-446-0031
On Saturday, September 10, 4 th through 12 th graders played a continuous volleyball game and raised $13,000 through sponsorship. The game culminated with a rosary and Mass. All funds will go to Catholic Charities U.S. A . Matching funds up to $25,000 have been pledged. Additionally, e ach individual class is also doing a project:

• 1 st Grade - Saying 3 Hail Mary’s daily.
• 2 nd Grade - Praying a decade of the Rosary, daily, for families to have faith and strength to rebuild their lives.
• 3 rd Grade - Chocolate Bake Sale to correlate with their book reading of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Money raised will be sent Catholic Charities USA to help hurricane victims.
• 4 th Grade - Spiritual Bouquets for the victims.
• 5 th Grade - Pray the rosary each Tuesday after lunch.  Also making holy cards for the victims, thank you letters to the volunteers and police/firemen; collecting used clothing items and toiletries for people going to live in shelters.
• 6 th Grade - Bake Sale to benefit victims via Catholic Charities.
• 7 th Grade - Current Events pictorial collage to keep people educated on what is happening and what is being done each day to help.
• 8 th Grade - Prayer Chain made out of Mardi Gras colors with special intentions on each link of the chain.

St. Francis Xavier, LaGrange
Barbara Snopek, Principal
708-352-2175
Throug a variety of fundraising efforts, students at St. Francis Xavier raised over $6,000 for Hurricane Relief. The Student Council had a dress down day and raised $3000 that was sent to Catholic Relief Services. The 7th grade organized a car wash/bake sale on a Sunday and raised $1065. Some 6th graders ran a lemonade stand and bake sale that raised $750. A third grader organized a tennis tournament, raised $620 and had his donation matched by his father's employer. A parent and students organized a clothing drive and drove the contributions to a shelter. Other individual student efforts resulted in $391 from neighborhood lemonade stands and $250 by going door-to-door to collect donations from neighbors.

St. Gabriel, Chicago
Beverly Atwood
773-268-6636
Students at St. Gabriel School collected $653.45 that was sent to Catholic Charities for Hurricane Katrina victims.

St. Gilbert, Grayslake
Gloria Petraitis, Principal
847-223-8600
St. Gilbert has taken in a evacuee family with two children. The family has registered at Target with their list of needed things to start their new home. St. Gilbert families are working together to hopefully fulfill all their wishes, along with additional gift cards and monetary donations. The school is also actively collecting donations for the NCEA's “Child to Child” appeal to aid Catholic education in the devastated areas.

St. Giles, Oak Park
Susan Poetzel, Principal
708-383-6279
St. Giles School held a Hurricane relief fundraiser, organized by the student council, that raised $2,347.35 for Catholic Charities.  Traditionally, the pastor and principal have given the students a hot dog lunch at the beginning of the school year.  The student council asked all students to donate the amount they would have spent on lunch that day to a special Hurricane Katrina fund. All donors received an out of uniform day.

Gordon Tech High School, Chicago
Bro. Ed Howe, CR, President
Dr. William Watts, Principal
773-593-3600
Gordon Tech students’ have raised $10,000 for Hurricane Katrina victims. Their efforts have included collecting funds outside the Jimmy Buffett concert at Wrigley over Labor Day weekend, and in another effort, the morality class decided to raise at least $2,500 to give to hurricane victims. Each student had a personal goal of raising $100 that they met by selling pennants and towels, collecting donations from local businesses and braiding hair.

St. Gregory High School, Chicago
Erika Mickelburgh, Principal
773-907-2100
On Tuesday, September 6, a truck loaded with critical supplies left Chicago for New Orleans. On Monday, Sept. 12 the school awaited the arrival of Catholic Charities trucks to pick up three classrooms jammed with relief supplies that were gathered from Northside Catholic Academy, St. Gregory, St. Ita, and St. Gertrude parishes as well as Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. The community has been dropping off boxes and bags at St. Gregory since last Friday. The school community sorted and labeled donations to the sounds of New Orleans blues over the PA.

Holy Family Catholic Academy, Inverness
Dr. Gretchen Ludwig, Principal
847-359-0042, ext. 120
As part of the students "hands and feet of Jesus" theme, Holy Family students are spear-heading a move to raise money to assist the school-aged children currently being housed in the Astrodome as they are being re-located to schools throughout Houston. With four of five classes having completed their projects students have raised a total of over $1,800.

St. Ignatius College Prep, Chicago
Dr. Catherine Karl, Principal
312-421-5900
Our families have offered to host students who do not have other living arrangements in Chicago; one junior boy from the affected area is staying with a St. Ignatius family. Also doing fund-raising for relief projects involving the New Orleans Province of Jesuits and several other areas of need.

St. James School, Arlington Heights
Judy Pappas, Principal
847-255-6746
Working with the Sisters of the Living Word who have a mission in Mississippi. They are receiving refugees as they attempt to reach other destinations. When they get to the mission they are out of gas, food, need to use the telephone, etc. Students are collecting gift cards for Wal-Mart and McDonald's, phone and gas cards. The students are making cards with their promise of prayers and good wishes for those for whom the Sisters will care. A Patriotic Prayer Service was conducted on September 12 to remember 9/11 and include special remembrance of those whose lives have been changed by Katrina. Also, one week of collecting for the Red Cross netted $378.75.

St. Joan of Arc, Evanston
Eileen Hogan Heineman, Principal
847-679-0660
Evanston schools, St. Joan of Arc and Pope John XXIII, have launched the School to School Campaign to restock St. James Catholic School in Gulf Port, Mississippi. Other nearby schools, including St. Catherine Laboure in Glenview and St. Joseph in Wilmette, have already made significant contributions. The campaign needs donated materials such as desks, chairs, overhead projectors, Pre-K to grade 12 textbooks, library books, backpacks with school supplies and gift certificates for Wal-Mart, to restock classrooms and monetary donations for gas and the truck rental. Donated school supply items will be accepted until October 28. Anyone wishing to participate in this effort can call Eileen Hogan at 847-679-0660.

St. John Brebeuf, Niles
Margaret Whitman, Principal
847-966-3266
Close to $5,000 has been raised in cash and gift cards for the Hurricane Katrina victims and the school is donating another $1,000 from the regular fundraising money.

St. Josaphat School, Chicago
Elizabeth Rusin, Principal
773-549-0909
S chool families have joined "operation backpack" by taking old backpacks and filling them with recommended items from the a project list. Families have filled one van with backpacks. Students and their families are praying and dedicating their year of work as a prayer for these people.

St. Joseph School, Homewood
Natalie Lamoureux, Principal
708-798-0467
Students donated $1,745.25 for the Hurricane Victims in one week. All but $500 was sent to the American Red Cross. The other $500 was changed into Jewel and K-Mart gift cards and given to a family who has brought several relatives up from New Orleans. Teachers have also donated clothing, paper supplies, etc. to the Tinley Park Mental Health Center.

St. Maria Goretti, Schiller Park
Christine Weiner, Principal
847-678-2560
After contacting the Village of Tinley Park, students were told that what people in their shelter needed immediately was Welcome Cards! St. Maria Goretti’s students made hundreds of welcome cards that are now on display in the family shelter. In addition the Student Council is collecting "Coins For Katrina" with he first week's collection bringing in $554.28. A “Walkathon for Hurricane Survivors,” will also be conducted on October 5. Students are looking for pledges to walk laps around school and monies collected will be sent to Catholic Charities.

Marian Catholic High School, Chicago
Sr. Kathleen Anne Tait, OP, Principal
708-755-7576
Students donated $3,000 by buying extra bottles of water at lunch, which translated into 5,000 bottles of water being shipped to the area. They are participating in NCEA's efforts and have pledged nearly $2 per student. Student Council has decided to fore go the "chocolate fountain" at homecoming and donate about $3,500 to the cause. Many of the funds will help Dominican Schools in the Gulf areas that have been damaged or are accepting large numbers of students. Within the next week Marian hopes to create teams of students within Emmaus (homeroom) sections to provide meals for the families in the shelter in Tinley Park.

School of St. Mary, Lake Forest
Dr. Kevin Zajdel, Principal
847-234-0371
The faculty, staff and students at the School of St. Mary are sponsoring a number of events to help all who need assistance. Already a “Bracelet Sale” has generated $3500. Other plans include a Student Council raffle for an iPod nano , bake sales, a Walk-a-Thon and collecting goods for families newly arrived at Waukegan's Holy Family.

St. Michael/South Shore, Chicago
Sr. Judine Hilbing, OP, Principal
773-221-0212
Students raised $1,000 with ice cream sales and classroom donations and collected clothing for hurricane victims. St. Michael has also raised $384 by contributing $1 per student for the NCEA Catholic school relief efforts in the Gulf states.

Notre Dame High School, Niles
Steven Zeier, Principal
847-965-2900
Notre Dame HS for boys has raised over $4,000 with a Spirit Beads Fundraiser to support the relief efforts along the United States Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. At their first home football game over 2,000 strands of Mardi Gras beads were given to anyone who donated a minimum of $1. The fundraisers continue in lunch periods through the end of this week.

Our Lady of Destiny, Des Plaines
Linda Chorazy, Principal
847-827-2900
The school has collected $1,285 for the hurricane relief fund. Continued efforts include gathering a collection of needed articles to send wherever necessary.

Our Lady of Loretto, Hometown
Lenore Barnes, Principal
708-636-8668
There was a pajama and movie/popcorn day for those who contributed to Hurricane Katrina that collected over $1,200 in three days that was directly sent to the Tinley Park shelter site for Hurricane victims. In addition, with only one day to publicize the event, Our Lady of Loretto 8th graders organized a free car wash with donations going to Hurricane relief and raised $750 in just five hours. The money was sent to the local Jewel store where the student’s donation was matched dollar for dollar.

St. Patricia, Hickory Hills
Dr. Bob Smith, Principal
708-598-8200
The Junior Honor Society and the Student Council sponsored a joint fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Over the past week St. Patricia School raised over $1500; all funds collected will be donated to Catholic Charities Relief Program.

Saint Patrick High School, Chicago
Br. Konrad Diebold, FSC, President
773-282-8844
Saint Patrick High School is dedicating its late August and all of September's weekly mission collections for survival relief and are channeling all funds through the Christian Brothers Conference offices in Landover, MD, along with the other 75 schools conducted by or under the sponsorship of the Brothers of the Christian Schools throughout the United States. Donations are expected to exceed $3,000.

St. Philip Neri, Chicago
Mary Lou Piazza, Principal
773-288-1138
Along with offering daily prayers for the victims, a collection will be taken up at weekly Wednesday “All School-Mass” and the money will be sent to Catholic Charities.

Pope John Paul II, Chicago
Beatrice Madaj, Principal
773-523-6161
The School and it’s local parishes (Five Holy Martyrs, Immaculate Conception, and St. Pancratius) are working in conjunction with the Magnus Charitable Trust to collect donations of food, clothing, school textbooks and funds for the relief effort. Enough items have already been collected to fill three pickup trucks and a van.

Prince of Peace, Lake Villa
Mary Lou Cacioppo, Principal
847-356-6111
6th graders organized a bake sale and an out of uniform day for Friday, Sept. 9 with the proceeds being sent to Catholic Charities.

Queen of Martyrs, Chicago
Mike Krsek, Principal
708-422-1540
At the opening of school Mass, the students, faculty and staff at Queen of Martyrs School contributed $1,665.82 to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Regina Dominican High School, Chicago
Sr. Stephanie Blaszczynski, CR, President
773-775-6616
A free will collection from parents on Back to School Night brought in $1,200 for Hurricane relief and a bake sale during lunch raised approximately the same amount. Regina’s community can also sponsor members of the swim team to raise funds during swimming practice sessions. Fund-raising efforts will continue throughout the year in various ways, so that donations will continue to flow from Regina Dominican to meet the crucial needs of recovery in the months ahead.

St. Scholastica Academy, Chicago
Sr. Suzanne Zuercher, OSB, President
773-764-5715
At Back to School Night, Student Council members "manned" hurricane relief buckets and the Principal made a P.A. announcement encouraging parents to donate with the funds going to Catholic Charities and to the family of the school’s Campus Minister from Bay St. Louis, LA.Additionally, the Student Council and the National Honor Society conducted a Bake Sale that collected over $1700.

St. Sylvester, Chicago
Patricia Welegala, Principal
773-772-5222
Students have collected $796 for hurricane relief in their "Koins for Katrina" collection.

St. Symphorosa, Chicago
Sister Margaret Mary Kowalczyk, CSFN, Principal,
773-585-6888
School children at St. Symphorosa have collected $1,098.64 for hurricane victims.

St. Thecla, Chicago
Sr. Kathleen Stafford, DC
773-763-3380
Efforts to help Hurricane Katrina's victims include collecting food, water, clothing, school supplies, etc. to bring to the coast by truck. Through school contacts St. Thecla is delivering these items to communities that are not making the news and are not receiving the same levels of assistance as larger areas.

St. Theresa, Palatine
Dorothy Aebersold, Principal
847-359-1820
An “out-of-uniform day” for students raised nearly $13,000 in donations for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Additionally, two 6 th grade students donated the proceeds from their lemonade stands.

St. Therese Chinese Catholic School, Chicago
Phyllis Cavallone-Jurek
312-326-2837
St. Therese’s eleven first grade students raised $2,700 for the victims of Hurricane Katrina with the help of their teacher who is a native of Louisiana. In addition to soliciting donations at-large, many of the children donated their own allowances to the cause.

St. William, Chicago
Mary Bauer, Principal
773-637-5130
St. William had a dress down day last Friday for the hurricane victims and collected over $1300 from a school of 227 students and a faculty/staff of 17. Next week we are holding a bake sale to collect more money.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart, Lake Forest
Madonna Lee Edmunds, Principal
847-234-4300
Student volunteers coordinated a drive to collect supplies for a relief truck sponsored by Congressman Mark Kirk filling a Woodlands Wildcat bus with bottled water, food, and baby supplies that will be delivered to the evacuees housed in the Houston Astrodome. The Woodlands Service Club is also collecting cash contributions for hurricane survivors. Students have organized several fundraisers, including a disco fever dance party and “Casual Days” when students, faculty, and staff who make donations earn the privilege to dress informally. An anonymous Woodlands parent has offered a challenge grant to match the total amount of relief funds raised. Cash donations will be split between the American Red Cross and Catholic Charities. Other Woodlands efforts to assist hurricane evacuees include a clothing drive in conjunction with Lane Hospitality that will deliver dozens of boxes of new and gently used clothing to evacuees in Mississippi. In addition, Woodlands’ science students and field hockey team have collected 200 pounds of cat and dog food, kitty litter, dog treats, and other pet supplies for displaced pets in Louisiana. Students at Woodlands’ annual flag ceremony and Mass of the Holy Spirit recently offered their prayers for Katrina’s victims and survivors.