The holiday season is a time to spend with friends and family and appreciate the love we have for one another.  It also is a time to give back to the community, and help out those who are less fortunate than us.  This is what “Advent Action” at Mount Carmel is all about.  For many years, the school has organized charity events to help others during Christmas time, and this year is no different.

Three different charity events are taking place during “Advent Action” this year.  The first was the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.  Each student was asked to bring in at least five canned food goods to their Studium, items which then were donated to a local food pantry on November 25.  The school surpassed its goal of 3500 cans, with Studium 206 (Mrs. Smola) bringing in the most.

The second charity event that occurred at Mount Carmel was the Fall Haul clothing drive.  This was a new fundraiser at Mount Carmel this year, and was suggested by Theology teacher Mr. Patrick McGarry.  During the clothing drive, which ended on November 30, students were encouraged to donate some form of clothing to Goodwill Industries.  Students had the option to drop off their donation at any Goodwill collection site, or to bring it to school. McGarry noted that the Fall Haul was a great opportunity to “put clothes on people’s backs,” and have a chance for two Blackhawks players to visit the school as a reward. Although MC didn’t win, the effort and generous contributions from the MC community will make a difference in people’s lives.

Another of the charitable initiatives this holiday season is the annual Christmas toy drive.  Each student is requested to bring in a new, unwrapped toy to donate to less fortunate kids between November 30 and December 17.  Mount Carmel’s goal is to donate 750 toys, one from every member of the school community.  The Studium that donates the most will travel to St. Bernard Hospital to deliver the toys on December 18.

Finally, the ongoing Advent Action Mission Collection will raise funds for a variety of charitable organizations, including Misericordia Heart of Mercy Homes and Heifer International.  Each Studium is asked to designate a specific charity to receive the funds that are donated.  The goal is to distribute at least $2250 in gifts to the various recipients.

This year, the Mount Carmel Student Council took a big role in promoting “Advent Action,” with much of the credit going to senior Matt Schau, Student Council Vice President for Service.  Mr. Sweeney, Director of Student Engagement, who coordinated the program, noted that the goal of  Advent Action is to “encourage the generosity of the school community to serve people that have less than we do during the holiday season.”