Enlightenment with Compassion
Kathleen Swafford, Lower School Principal
Hough Campus collects donations for Sallie House.
Throughout this school year the lower school students and teachers have embraced the tenet of "putting others before ourselves" through numerous community outreach projects.
The month of September was ushered in with a shoe drive, benefiting children's cancer centers in St. Petersburg and Tampa. The shoe drive continues throughout the end of the school year, accepting any size, style, and condition.
Children contributed their Halloween candy in October, donating the treats to a local food bank after painstakingly dividing over 200 pounds of candy into individual sandwich bag sized servings.
Sallie House has benefited from the generosity of Hough Campus families for many years. This year was no exception as students presented hundreds of gifts in chapel, blessed by Father Suhar, and distributed to deserving families.
All Children's Hospital received gifts of coloring books and crayons, art students created and presented a mosaic to Westminster Suncoast Center, and Christmas caroling by our Crusaders filled the hearts of the residents with the spirit of the season. One resident said, "This is the highlight of my year, knowing the Canterbury students are coming to sing."
A canned food drive garnered over 200 cans of soup for the St. Petersburg Free Clinic, while students donated 100 teddy bears to the Rough Rides. Two nursing homes sparkled with Christmas ornaments made by our students, as well as Valentine placements to decorate the tables.
Recycling is the ongoing theme in fourth grade. Thanks to these students, recycling trashcans are located in each classroom and office. Fourth graders gather the recycling on a regular basis, delivering it to the recycling center.
There is no rest for the giving of heart. April and May include the collecting of swimsuits, all sizes, new and used. Many children do not own swimsuits, preventing them from swimming in the city pools. The donated swimsuits are given to these children. A diaper drive - collecting baby items (diapers, food, etc.) benefits new mothers needing assistance.
The projects are on going and the lessons learned are life-long. Our heartfelt thanks to the parents who support our community outreach projects and help us build within the children a philanthropic heart as we fulfill the philosophy of the Canterbury School of Florida: Enlightenment with Compassion.
