By Ashlee Renich-Malek, Andrew High School Senior
When it comes to the holidays, a plethora of service-based organizations love offering as many helping hands as possible. Andrew’s National Honors Society, focused on community service, held its annual food drive, and newer toy drive. Each member was asked to bring in at least 3 nonperishable food items and one toy. Many members took it upon themselves to even go above and beyond like Senior Mary Kate Riordan who brought in forty-four items.
The NHS officers from Andrew and the fifteen other schools in the Southwest Suburban Conference came together at Newlife Church in New Lenox to combine and pack away all the food. Within the four hours the leaders were there, they separated and organized all the food SWSC had to offer in donations as well as conversed with the officers of other schools to exchange ideas. Andrew’s NHS, by themselves, donated twenty-six boxes, or 611 items, to the cause while the grand total was over 7,200 items. The food was distributed amongst various pantries in the area including Manhattan Township, New Lenox Township, and NewLife Church’s own supply to feed the needy. At the end of the day, President of Andrew’s NHS, Yee Mon Han stared at the wall covered by boxes of food and relented, “can you imagine all the people we just helped feed?” to her fellow leaders.
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NHS also sponsored a toy drive for Make a Difference Day. The drive was inspired by NHS service coordinator Jacqueline Calderon as another opportunity for them to reach out to the community. Toys were collected from members for two weeks and then sent to a local children’s hospital also to brighten up the holiday season. The generous donators were congratulated and reminded that any single one of those toys could mean the world to a child.
The group anticipates numerous more service events through the holidays and throughout the rest of the year to help out the community, including organizing and executing Andrew Fest. NHS Junior Induction is on November 19th and the veterans are ready to welcome in the new minds and fresh ideas of the junior class.
