Radio host Jeff Hofmann interviews principal Kathy Wear and eighth-grader Patrick Rolens at Blessed Sacrament School in Springfield on Tuesday of Catholic Schools Week. Patrick won the chance to be “principal for the day.” Also pictured is Father David Hoefler, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish.

The well-worn wooden stage at Blessed Sacrament School in Springfield was filled almost end-to-end with donated items as the faculty, students and parents celebrated "Community Awareness Day" on Jan. 29 in conjunction with Catholic Schools Week.

Blessed Sacrament organized a collection drive for four local charities, said the school's development director Kim Hoffman. Bags of food, clothes and other items gathered for St. Martin de Porres Center, Hope School, Springfield Boys and Girls Club, and Holy Family Food Pantry - all located in Springfield - attested to the success of the campaign. Additionally, a large change jar was there so students and adults could donate for the fund to build a preschool in Swaziland, Africa. 

Items collected included blankets, sheets and bedding for St. Martin de Porres Center; school supplies for Hope School; socks, coats, mittens, hats, spiral notebooks, educational games and calculators for the Boys and Girls Club; and non-perishable food items for Holy Family Food Pantry.

"The students filed in from the playground that morning and dropped off their donations for the day," said Hoffman.

Also on the crowded stage were radio personalities from the AM Springfield show (Sports Radio 1450), who broadcast live from the school from 7-9 a.m. that day. The morning show was hosted by Sam Madonia and Jeff Hofmann, who interviewed Kim Hoffmann, principal Kathy Wear; pastor Father David Hoefler, University of Illinois at Springfield head basketball coach and former NBA basketball player Kevin Gamble (who has children who attend the school), a few former Blessed Sacrament students who remain involved with Catholic schools; and several eighth-graders.

Wear said she was proud of all the students for their work to help the needy and of those 19 eighth-grade students who had recently returned from the Walk for Life in Washington, D.C. Two eighth-grade girls, Victoria Farris and Hannah Perrin, spoke specifically about the trip to Washington and what it meant to them. Additionally, the eighth-graders have already held two coat drives this year to benefit St. Martin de Porres Center and regularly volunteer there, Wear said.  

"Catholic Schools Week provides an excellent opportunity to broaden the students' awareness of the needs of their community," said Lynn Eck, who co-chaired Catholic Schools Week with Denise Vespa. "And in a wide sense of charitable needs, we are also pleased to be able to help out Catholic school graduate Adam Kohlrus, with his project to build a preschool in Africa."

Hoffmann said she was happy, but not surprised about how generous the school children and their parents were that day. "Father Hoefler and I often talk about the generosity of our parishioners," she said. "We have a long history of our parishioners supporting charitable organizations. They have had roles in the founding and sustaining of many local charitable groups."