May 22 Summer School Sign-up Ends
May 22 Noon Dismissal
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Why I Like St. Joe's:
[by the First Grade class]
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Copyright © 2008
Saint Joseph School of Downers Grove
With a Smile, We Give Thanks
Here at St. Joseph School, we have much to be thankful for. Smiling faces tell the story. With a smile, we give thanks for you. We see you in many forms. You might be the xerox mom or the room mom; you might work on an event or be the extra hands needed for that special project. You might be that lunch dad or that parent forum organizer. You might be a financial supporter.
For all of you, we smile and give thanks.
Giving of yourself can bring such joy. That it did for Gramma Bunny, who often spent her Fridays at St. Joseph assisting her daughter, Kim with the schools weekly pizza day. She had her special place to sit each week as she collected pizza money from the students. Students greeted Gramma Bunny as they went through her line. She always looked forward to two special kisses from her grandchildren, Kileen and Patrick. Gramma recently succumbed to the cancer she fought, but before that she taught the children so much. She would say, "Make new friends, but keep the old, some are silver and the other gold." For her eulogy, her family wrote, "If you touched as many lives as Bunny did, you are fortunate and you are loved. Give the love back while you can."
Gramma Bunny worked pizza lunch every Friday that she could. Through rain, sleet or snow, she maneuvered herself into school and down the stairs to the kitchen. She had a walker so it made it difficult, but it gave her the motivation to keep going through her battle with cancer. She gave. She received. Recently, there were no straws for milk at pizza lunch. Bunny was so concerned that she ran out and bought colored straws. These simple straws brought such joy. "The children were all so excited to pick their colored straw," said daughter Kim. She saw the joy it brought her mother. "Knowing that she made the children smile was all the thanks she ever needed."
With a smile, we give thanks.
As a school, we recently came forward asking once again for your support for our School Annual Appeal. With a smile, we say thanks for the outpouring we felt as you, the community so generously responded. Gramma Bunny saw the smiling faces firsthand as she greeted at her pizza line. Know that our smiles are full as we send this special thank you your way.
As Sr. Dorothy Randall said, "The cost of education today is high, but the cost of not having a Catholic school for our faith and world would be higher." We believe and we know that Catholic schools are the best way to pass on our faith.
With your generosity, you have touched lives. You are fortunate and you are loved. With a smile, we give thanks. We truly appreciate your ongoing support.