427 Coats for Kids: McGivney Students Make a Difference

GLEN CARBON - The Cardinal Glennon Guild Junior Board at Father McGivney Catholic High School led a successful coat drive this November.

The students collected 427 coats for children and 44 coats for adults. Principal Joseph Lombardi explains, “This program beautifully highlights the alignment of the Glennon Guild Junior Board's activities with Father McGivney Catholic High School's core values. It emphasizes how these students are not only embracing but actively living out the pillar of Charity by using their leadership skills to make a meaningful impact. Their efforts serve as a testament to the school's mission of fostering a culture of life through practical service.” The Board consists of students who want to make a difference in the lives of patients at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and the community.

Through their leadership and volunteerism, they will continue to put on fundraising events like the Coat Drive throughout the school year in an effort to raise funds for patients, families, and our community. The McGivney students volunteered their free time to attend meetings in St. Louis and planned every detail of this initiative from start to finish.

McGivney student and board member Sophia Mineman explained, “This initiative was very important to me because I believe if we are able to help in any way possible we should. Collecting this many coats was an amazing surprise! I am extremely happy and thankful for the generous donations and the impact we are able to make in these childrens’ lives. When asked why she wanted to serve on the Board, Sophia continued,

"I wanted to be involved in the Glennon Board because I am able to directly help the children at the hospital and it allows me to become more involved in my community.” FMCHS is proud to have 10 members on the Jr. Executive Board and 4 Ambassadors. The Board includes the following students: Savanna Brown, Alanna Douglas, Joey Feldhaus, Lilly Forneris, Elizabeth Guehlstorf, Shea Guinn, Sophia Mineman, Caroline Rakers, Riley Ramsey and Gracelyn Ratchford. The Ambassadors include the following students:Maddie Beck, Avery Grenzebach, Izzy Wade and Morgan Zobrist. Mcgivney student and board member Elizabeth Guehlstorf says, “I love being on the board because I get the opportunity to learn about the amazing and empowering stories of surviving patients who are my own age who also serve on the board. She continues,

“It brings me so much joy to know my classmates at McGivney want to make a positive difference in the lives of children at Glennon, just like me! This coat drive is the first of many fundraisers I’m excited to help lead at my school for this amazing cause. I am so thankful for the generous support of our school and community."

The FMCHS Faith Formation Director, Julie Scheller, leads the group of students in their efforts. Scheller explains, “I want to give a huge shoutout to our amazing McGivney Glennon Board and Ambassadors who organized this coat drive. These students planned every detail of this project and offered countless hours of volunteerism to make this initiative a huge success. Their hard work and compassion are a true testament to living out their faith in everyday life. We are so proud of their dedication to serving others and making a difference in our community.“

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