Story and photos submitted by Joni Smith
December is a time of year that many us remember how blessed our lives our everyday. It is also a time that we remember to give back to those who are not always so lucky everyday. The students and families at St. Mary Catholic School have been very busy giving back to those in our community and in surrounding communities during this month.
The season of giving started the week of December 5th thru the 9th. Students in both the elementary and high school competed in a Penny War. Each students brought pennies and other coins or cash to put in their own class’s collection bucket or in another class’s bucket. Pennies counted as positive points for their class, but anything else counted as negative points. The goal by the end of the week was to have the more pennies than anyone else. It was a close 
competition but the winners of the Penny War ( the class with the most pennies) was the Kindergarten for the Elementary School and the 9th Graders in the High School. However, the winners for collecting the most money in their bucket was the 3rd graders with $130.64 and the 7th graders with $268.79 in their bucket. All together $796.55 was raised in one week by all the students! This money will stay in Dell Rapids and go to the Christmas For Our Kids Organization, and will help buy Christmas gifts and meals to those who need it in Dell Rapids.
St. Mary students in grades 7-12 collected new baby items as part of the annual diocesan Advent Baby Shower. More than 50 students donated diapers, sleepers, baby care items, onesies and toys for needy families. All of the collected items will be given to needy families within the Dell Rapids community.
If these letters were handed in by Friday, December 9th, Macy’s would donate $2 per letter. Overall, students wrote over 170 letters and over $350 was raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Thank you to Macy’s and to all those that wrote letters to Santa!
The giving didn’t stop though. On December 14th, students in Pre-K through twelve gathered in their Cardinal Families and spent about an hour cutting, tying, and making Fleece-Tie Blankets. Students and teachers made and donated these fleece blankets to local residents of nursing homes in Dell Rapids and local homeless shelters in our diocese. Overall 16 blankets were made by everyone in about 40 minutes.
The giving didn’t stop in our community though, the students at St. Mary School even gave back to their school. On the last 
day of school before students were set free to enjoy their Christmas Break, students and teachers in grades 7-12 cleaned the school, gym, and church. Students scrubbed the top and bottoms of the bleachers in the gym, cleaned and organized the stage, washed lunchroom tables and chairs, washed windows, glass doors and trophy cases, cleaned church pews, disinfected computer keyboards, moved sidewalk salt to the garage, and tidied up the entire school before break. The students then celebrated their successful cleaning day with a movie in the gym.
The students at St. Mary Catholic school are a great reminder that there are many great things that young ones can do. The entire school and staff constantly are giving back to everyone in their community and had a very successful month of giving.