Students donate to those less fortunate
ST MARY’S College students have grabbed the opportunity to give back to the less fortunate as part of a new charity program in schools.
Following a pilot program at Downlands College last year, St Mary’s is the first school to temporarily have a St Vincent de Paul Society donation bin on site.
Vinnies youth engagement officer Julie Inskip said every Catholic school in Toowoomba had been keep to participate in the program, which would see the bin set up for a month at different locations.
“The idea generated from just trying to have more involvement with our schools and the great need that we always have with second-hand clothing in our shops,” Ms Inskip said.
“The retail manager was telling me that boys’ winter clothes are the most-needed items in our Vinnies shops.
“It is great that St Mary’s, being an all-boys school, is fulfilling a need that is right now.”
Ms Inskip said the bins would also be painted differently at each school, which each one coming up
with a different design and painted by two local artists Abbey Watson, 16, and Dan Pukullas, 22.
St Mary’s Year 12 student Heath Dean said the students had been filling the bin generously.
“Everyone here does look for opportunities to give to the less fortunate and most of us boys here are from privileged backgrounds,” he said.
Heath explained the paintings on the school’s bin included Edmund Rice, a Catholic missionary and educationalist, as well as the senior symbol for this year which came from the college crest.
St Mary’s campus minister Ryan Baines said he jumped on the opportunity to have the bin at the school. It was a great opportunity to engage with the community.
“To me, it’s a real physical presence of our outreach in the community and it has allowed all year levels and all staff to be involved,” he said.
“It is a great opportunity for for our boys to engage with a wider picture of social justice.
“The donated items support the Ruthven St store, which was really important to us that there was a local connection.”
Ms Inskip said coming into winter, she encouraged the wider community to donate items including blankets, sheets and flannelette clothing.
Everyone here does look for opportunities to give to the less fortunate.
— Heath Dean