Students are Putting Their Time to Good Use

Students at St. Joseph’s Academy in Frontenac are using their spare time to bring smiles to the disadvantaged in the St. Louis region.

In 2006, social studies teacher Jane Garvin engaged students in an after school club, “History from Hollywood,” during which they would watch movies, then discuss what was and was not historically accurate.

“We watched movies like ‘Pearl Harbor,’ ‘Casablanca,’ and ‘October Sky,’” Garvin said. “One student found a 1946 license plate in ‘Pearl Harbor." However, Pearl Harbor happened in 1941. In the same movie, we also saw an American flag with 50 stars.

“I thought if I were going to spend this much time with the kids, I’d like to do something more meaningful,” she said.

The next day, her prayers were answered, so to speak.

“A teacher came to me and said that there was a need for sandwiches to be made and delivered to a charity, so we did that,” she said. “I asked my students what they thought about having an outreach club--to go out into community and help others who had trouble helping themselves.”

Angel Outreach was born.

“Angel Outreach is an organization here at St. Joe that enables people in our community to go out and make a difference by giving their energy, their efforts, and their enthusiasm, and I’m grateful to every single person that’s involved,” Garvin said. “This is a chance for kids to volunteer in a number of different ways.”

Angel Outreach performed its first project at St. Vincent’s Home, a residential home for troubled children. The Angels dug and prepared a garden for the children to tend.

Twice a month, the Angels go to Shriner’s Hospital for Children, located adjacent to the academy and play games with the children as recreational therapy.

Sarah Care provides day care for seniors, many of whom have Alzheimer’s disease. It benefits from the Angels who visit the facility located 524 S. Elm Ave. in Webster Groves.

“They interact with the seniors, help them play Bingo, and read to them,” Garvin said.

The Angels also spend two days a month working with the Sts. Peter and Paul Ministries in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis.

On the second day of the month, the group prepares a meal at the Sts. Peter and Paul Soup Kitchen at Eighth and Allen Streets. On the third Monday of the month, they take dinner to the Sts. Peter and Paul Homeless Shelter located down the street at 711 Allen.

Garvin gives her casserole recipes to teachers and students, who prepare 15 to 18 casseroles before bringing them for sale at school the next day.

“The shelter doesn’t have ovens,” she said. “So we bake them here. The kids bring desserts, and Schnucks donates the salad makings. We leave here at 4 p.m. to go down and serve.”

A student’s grandfather donated $5,000 in “seed money” for Angel Outreach to get started with the Ss. Peter and Paul Ministry, and the group is still working off the original amount.

“We were told that this would take $400 a month,” Garvin said. “But we’ve never spent over $300. People are so generous. We have a family who owns a restaurant, Hannegan’s, and they donate soup every month. We’ve been so blessed with parents helping.”

But wait, there’s more.

Angel Outreach is also involved with Teen Activities for Special Kids (TASK). Here, the group works on teen activities, such as floor hockey, basketball, and dance for mentally challenged kids at St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Crestwood.

For one week in June, the Angels help with the Society for Children and Adults with Disabilities summer camp. At various times through the year, they also volunteer at the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery.

One of the Angels, Meggie Twardowski, who has two autistic cousins, organized 30 Angels to take part in the Walk for Autism last October helping the charity to receive a $500 check from St. Joe.

Approximately 300 St. Joe students participate in Angel Outreach, and students can join as soon as they enter the academy, giving them four years to do the volunteer work.

Garvin is quick to explain that this effort is not just hers alone.

“There are so many people involved. Besides all the students, we have parents, siblings, maintenance people, even alumnae come back and help for some events,” she said.

While bad news seems to come from all directions, Angel Outreach provides men, women and children with a smile, a loving touch, and, perhaps, most of all, hope.