by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
Although the morning was postponed due to snow, All Saints Academy-St. Joseph students participated in its 34th annual “Saints in Service” Workathon Oct. 28, reaching their goal of $21,000.
Volunteers, including students, families and others, cleaned yards, bagged and hauled away leaves and performed other fall chores for seniors, people with disabilities and others in need in the area.
It’s one way students can learn about doing service for others who are in need.
About 200 volunteers usually work at about 40 job sites for the event.
Jobs that were not able to be completed because of the snowfall were scheduled to be completed at another time.
School administrative assistant Linda Heinen said one of the dilemmas for the volunteers was the St. Joseph compost site is closing for the season, and workers had hoped to be able to make one more day of drop-offs.
Principal Karl Terhaar said the snow was unusual.
“In the 34 years of doing workathons, there has been only one other time it was canceled due to weather,” he said. “Families have been doing the best they can to complete their jobs, but the weather has not been cooperative.”
As a reward for meeting their fundraising goal, students were given a Halloween carnival Oct. 31 at the school which included games and treat bags to celebrate their success. Terhaar helped supervise the haunted house, created by the sixth-graders, at the carnival.
Because students also reached a second goal challenge to earn $24,000, they will get a chance to duct-tape Terhaar to a pillar in the school’s lunch room after Thanksgiving. They will also have a chance to trip a dunk-hat target and pour a little slime on him.
The “Saints in Service” workathon is one of All Saints Academy-St. Joseph’s largest service projects with a fundraising goal to raise money for the school.
Donations are not required by those who have work projects, and people who want to donate money to the cause do not need to have jobs to be completed.
Other Catholic schools in the area who also participated in a day of service included All Saints Academy-St. Cloud campus, St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton and St. Katharine Drexel in St. Cloud, and St. Francis Xavier in Sartell.
All Saints Academy-St. Joseph currently has 108 students enrolled in grades kindergarten through sixth grade and 43 preschool students. To donate or for more information, contact the school at 320-363-7505, ext. 150.
contributed photo
Because they met their “Saints in Service” workathon goal, students at All Saints Academy-St. Joseph were treated to a Halloween carnival Oct. 31 at the school. Kindergartner Ryker Smith (center, left) tells (from left to right) first-grader Eleanor Dullinger and preschoolers Charlie and Julia Wherry about the haunted house at the carnival.
contributed photo
All Saints Academy-St. Joseph preschooler Paisley Eiynck (left) and kindergartner Sloane Husen enjoy the Halloween carnival Oct. 31 at the school.
contributed photo
All Saints Academy-St. Joseph preschoolers Evelyn McKenzie, Lydia Berne and Julia Wherry enjoy the school Halloween carnival Oct. 31.
contributed photo
All Saints Academy-St. Joseph first-grader Zachary Schaefer digs through corn to find prizes at the Halloween school carnival Oct. 31.
Author: Cori Hilsgen
Hilsgen is a contributing reporter for the Newsleaders. The central Minnesota native is a wife, mother and grandmother. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management and Communication from Concordia University – St. Paul, MN and enjoys learning about and sharing other people’s stories through the pages of the Newsleaders.