December 18, 2001

Holy Cross Community Participates in Numerous Holiday Charities

WORCESTER, Mass. – With the holidays approaching, members of the Holy Cross community have given of themselves to those in the greater Worcester community who are in need.

Some of the charitable events are as follows:

Band Outreach Program
Each year around the holidays, members of the Crusader "Goodtime" Marching Band play their instruments for community audiences. This year, 25 band members visited St. Mary's Health Care Center, Clark Manor and Mt. Carmel to play a mixture of holiday carols and classic tunes. The students interacted socially with their audiences and invited their participation by providing tambourines and sleigh bells.

Chaplains' Gift Collection
A van full of holiday toys and gifts for children and adults were collected by the Chaplains' Office during masses the weekend of Dec. 9. They were distributed to St. Paul's and St. John's Churches in Worcester, as well as AIDS Project Worcester.

The Giving Tree
Members of the Holy Cross community were invited to pick an ornament off a tree in the Hogan Campus Center and buy a gift for a person in need. Approximately 75 items, including toys, mittens and clothing, were donated to the Friendly House and Frances Perkins Home volunteer sites through Student Programs for Urban Development (SPUD). The College community's response was so overwhelming, that the surplus items collected were donated to the Salvation Army. This drive is sponsored annually by the Purple Key Society.

Human Resources Christmas Tree
Sponsored by the Human Resources department, participants selected candy canes from a Christmas tree and bought a gift for a patient at St. Mary's Health Center Alzheimer's Unit or for a needy child in the Sacred Heart Parish, Canterbury St. School and Head Start. Approximately 150 gifts were collected.

Toys for Tots Collection
Donated at the College's 11th annual faculty and staff Christmas luncheon on Dec. 6, the Public Safety department collected approximately 100 toys. They were taken to the state police barracks in Charlton, and were portioned out to services in the Worcester area.

Wheeler Residence Hall Toy Drive
Richard Mucci '02 organized a toy drive in his residence hall, Wheeler Hall, collecting money and toys for AIDS Project Worcester. The students collected $300 and two large bags fills with toys from the student residents.

Winter Clothes Drive
Held annually at Holy Cross, students, faculty, administrators and staff were invited to donate new or used winter clothing for adults and children in the Worcester community. Sponsored by Building Services, over 50 winter coats and more than 60 bags of clothing were donated to the Henry Lee Willis Community Center and the PIP Shelter, both of Worcester.

For additional information contact Cristal Perriello at 508.793.2419