Domremy students tireless in their giving

Domremy students tireless in their giving

Social justice and community awareness features prominently among Domremy College students and staff. This month the College held its Pink Day for Women and students combined several worthwhile initiatives for fundraising for a number of women’s charities.

On 18 October students, staff and parents gathered as the sun rose at Rodd Point and, dressed in shades of pink, walked, jogged and skipped the 7km Bay Walk from Rodd Point to the College at Five Dock. Other volunteers were on standby with breakfast refreshments at the College.

The 2017 College Student Leadership Team organised the event and came up with the idea to not only support the National Breast Cancer Foundation, but to include the Share the Dignity Foundation this year as well in their fundraising efforts.

Through the generosity of many, the College exceeded its fundraising goal and surpassed its efforts of the previous years, raising more than $5,200 for the NBCF.

In addition it raised more than $500 in gold coin donations for the Share the Dignity Foundation and collected a large donation of hygiene and sanitary items, all of which were collected in collection boxes provided by the Foundation. The money will be used to purchase more items, which will then all be distributed by the Foundation to homeless women and women in refuges and domestic violence shelters.

As a further initiative, students took part in the Uplift Project, holding a bra drive and collecting more than 185 bras from within the College community, all of which will be sent to Fiji and the Philippines and will be donated by the Uplift Project to disadvantaged women.

Principal Vivienne Awad was not surprised by the efforts of her students and those within the College community, saying, ‘’The generosity of spirit among our College community is palpable; the initiatives our students embark upon help to raise much needed funds, but they also provide tangible benefits addressing basic needs for women who are disadvantaged or otherwise marginalised. When involved in such projects our students can see how their efforts make a difference in the lives of others not so fortunate.” The Social Justice Committee at the College is strong and meets regularly to discuss and decide on issues of need which as a student body they will respond to in action. These go on to include the St Vincent de Paul Buddies Day looking after disadvantaged children, the Saturday morning Vinnies Breaky Van, Wrap with Love providing warm wraps to the homeless, and many others.

The College takes its social justice program further by also providing the opportunity to Year 11 students to be involved in service learning through its Fiji Immersion undertaken by students and staff in their October school holidays. These last holidays, thirteen students and three staff travelled to Fiji on an immersion expedition organised through Rustic Pathways. Students spent a week with children at Tau School, helping them in classes and in their daily lives. While challenging, students Jacinta, Bonnie and Jasmine all reflected on the small things that they take for granted on a daily basis, with the Principal adding that “it is important to challenge our students with such experiences which go beyond what they know and are comfortable with, so that they can be encouraged to act in the future for those less fortunate.” This is certainly in the forefront of the girls’ minds, with some already deciding to return to Fiji in 2017 for the Alternative Schoolies Week Experience.