Mount Mercy Academy’s students and staff continued to be busy serving the community during the month of December.  One of the missions of Mount Mercy Academy is compassionate service. This mission was well met in November as the school assisted at places such as St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy, Journey’s End and Ronald McDonald House. Once again Campus Minister and senior theology teacher Mary Colby is asking members of the senior class to plan and coordinate a service project.  Projects are picking up steam, as seven seniors initiated service projects and the school also had four other service activities.   

    Senior Maura Kull (West Seneca) organized a card making event for the residents at Elderwood Assisted Living in West Seneca. 

Senior Mia Mahar (Lakeview) led an event at the South Buffalo Community Table. The volunteers cleaned the kitchen and storage areas and helped with some prep work. 

Senior Olivia Larson (Orchard Park) led a blanket making workshop.  They made fleece blankets for children staying at the Salvation Army shelter. 

Senior Madelyn DiGiore (Lakeview) held a card making event for Operation Gratitude which provides cards and letters for servicemen and women, veterans, and first responders. 

    Sister Jenny Wilson, RSM and several freshmen prepared a “breakfast for dinner” themed dinner at the Ronald McDonald House.  

    On Thursday December 12th the senior class greeted the Sisters of Mercy after their daily mass with a flower and a note in honor of Foundation Day, the anniversary of the day that their order was established.

    Senior Hannah Edman (West Seneca) led a team of volunteers at the Wegmans Family Day: Santa’s Workshop at the Botanical Gardens.  The girls helped children create Christmas themed crafts.  

    Students helped to decorate for Christmas at the Mercy Center.  They helped decorate the front foyer and dining room.

    Colby and Sister Jenny worked with eight students, volunteering for the day at St Luke’s helping with the Christmas Food Bag Giveaway.  They worked hard all day, delivering soup and sandwiches to people waiting in line, and carrying bags to people’s cars.   Seniors Kull, Hope Willert (West Seneca) and freshmen Kate Beale, , Kayla Pietrkiewicz, Marlee Ventura, and Neveah Schimek of Buffalo, Cianna Tobia of Eden, and Fiona Tournour of Boston.

    A group spent the afternoon creating gingerbread masterpieces with the sisters at the Mercy Center. 

Senior Ellie Higgins (Buffalo) organized a group of volunteers to help out at the Our Lady of Black Rock Christmas Pageant.

Senior Lizzy Lang (Buffalo) and group of seniors spent a day organizing children’s clothes at the Saint Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center.  

The Mount Mercy community continues to follow Catherine McAuley’s vision of compassionate service and affirming the dignity and uniqueness of individuals.