Our Youth

A Service Week, Closer to Home

March 6, 2013
The St. Marcellin Champagnat Society of Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood, concluded their volunteer week in Breezy Point with a Mass at St. Thomas More Church. After the Eucharistic celebration, the group gathered around a statue of Mary, which survived the fires caused by superstorm Sandy. This statue is now affectionately called Our Lady of Breezy Point by the members of the community.
The St. Marcellin Champagnat Society of Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood, concluded their volunteer week in Breezy Point with a Mass at St. Thomas More Church. After the Eucharistic celebration, the group gathered around a statue of Mary, which survived the fires caused by superstorm Sandy. This statue is now affectionately called Our Lady of Breezy Point by the members of the community.

Realizing that their efforts were needed closer to home, the St. Marcellin Champagnat Society of Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood, changed gears this year.

Instead of traveling far to help those in need, they decided to focus their efforts in Breezy Point to help with recovery after superstorm Sandy.

Faculty, alumni and students spent the five very cold days of their school break volunteering in the Queens neighborhood. They did so to spread their message: “We Care.”

In order to make the most of their efforts, they linked up with a faith-based group from Virginia Beach, Va.: Operation Blessing.

Volunteers from Archbishop Molloy help dig the sand out of Breezy Point.
Volunteers from Archbishop Molloy help dig the sand out of Breezy Point.

Originally, the Molloy group was headed to Nicaragua for the fall break and Lourdes France for the summer service program. Sandy changed all that.

Instead, the volunteers put on many layers of clothing to keep warm while they shoveled sand, sand and more sand. They also pulled down ruined Sheetrock and then put up new Sheetrock.

They squeezed their way into crawl spaces to remove insulation and replace it. They swept sidewalks, removed seaweed from fences and removed more sand.

The students who undertook this task were: Dante Cella, senior; Francisco Cid, junior; Annie Conlon, senior; Emily David, junior; John Anthony DiMaria, senior; Natalie Dyer, junior; Samaria Filosa, senior; Jordan Foster, junior; Raymond Fu, senior; Joseph Gilfeather, sophomore; Briana Hajdarovic, junior; Fred Jean Joseph, sophomore; Maria Kasper, sophomore; Eddie Krishe, senior; Marco LoBosco, senior; John Mancino, junior; Michael Mosco, junior; Anna Pastina, senior; Jackie Rubino, senior; Tiffany Scotto, senior; Jordi Sevillea, junior; Sarah Stiglanese, junior; Aerin Toskas, junior; Lauren Velez, senior; and Derrick Yuen, senior.

The faculty who joined them were: Chris Dougherty, ’91, Brother Pat Hogan, Lauren Kemmerer, Ed Cameron and Dyana Christy. The students were also accompanied by alumni: Jessica Pastore, Scott Kuner and  Joe LoGudice, all of whom graduated in 2004.

Volunteers from Archbishop Molloy help dig the sand out of Breezy Point.
Volunteers from Archbishop Molloy help dig the sand out of Breezy Point.

The members of the St. Marcellin Champagnat Society spent their vacation reaching out in part to fulfill their school motto: “Not for School but for Life.”

The group ended their  time in Breezy with Mass at St. Thomas More.

To celebrate their success and service, the group went to the Irish Circle for dinner.