This article was contributed by Annette Jones, NCEA Assistant Director of Leadership Development.
The Helping Hands Club of St. Mary Nativity Catholic School in Joliet, IL held a flip-flop drive for children in Djibouti, Africa. This flip-flop drive was suggested by the pastor, Father Ron Neitzke, at a school Mass in which he related how the children of Djibouti have very little. Father Neitzke was stationed there for about a year as he served as chaplain. The students in preschool through grade eight brought in these flip-flops for children in a village there. SPC Moreno of the Djibouti military base delivered the donation on behalf of the school students. In a thank you to the St. Mary Nativity students, she wrote, “These children have absolutely nothing and having seen the smiles on their faces really helped boost our morale.”
