Limerick students gift care packages to vulnerable in community for Valentine's Day
The students handmade the care packages and delivered them to the community
LOVE is in the air in one south Limerick community this week after students from the local school took it upon themselves to share some joy for Valentine’s Day.
Students in 4th, 5th and 6th year at Scoil Pól Kilfinane visited members of their local community to deliver small gifts to let them know they were being thought of on the day of love.
Teacher Jenny Kelly and Sr Patricia Coughlan helped the students prepare the care packages and deliver them to people in the surrounding area.
Sr Coughlan told the Limerick Leader that they decided to visit the six parishes surrounding the school where most of the students come from to hand out the gifts.
“We visited nursing homes and daycare centres in Bruff, Bruree, Ballylanders, Kilmallock, Kildorrery and Ballyagran.
“It was the students’ idea and we also visited people living alone and others who are housebound.”
Some of the gifts included chocolates, cards and a crochet heart to let members of the community know that they were loved and being thought of.
“The little heart said ‘handmade with love’ so they know they are cared about”, explained Sr Coughlan.
“The students loved giving out the gifts and really enjoyed themselves.
“They didn’t realise until now how important their visit and the gifts are to the people they were giving them to.
“They were very well received, they were delighted with them.”
The school pupils took part in the initiative in the weeks leading up to the mid-term break and spent their time with some of the most vulnerable members of their community.
Students took part in the initiative as part of their involvement with the Pope John Paul II Award.
READ MORE: Bishop Leahy’s Lenten message says giving can happen through many means, not just financial
The award was created in 2006 to commemorate the late Pope Saint John Paul II.
It is a faith achievement award for young people between the age of 16 and 18 and it is non-competitive, inclusive, flexible and voluntary.
The award enables participants to take an active part in the life of their church – in the life of their community and society.
It enables young people to become more aware of the teaching and role of the Catholic Church in the world, especially in their locality.
It has been a busy few weeks for students and staff in the school as the senior hurling panel were victorious in the Munster GAA Post Primary School Corn Risteard Ui Mhathuana U19 C championship final on February 3.
The team beat Glanmire CC from Cork, with a final scoreline of 1-11 to 0-9 at Fethard Town Park.
Joint captain Kristian O’Gorman scored Scoil Pól's goal and the top scorer was the other joint caption Shane Fitzgibbon who scored five phenomenal points in the match.