Students band together for foodbank drive
St Joseph's Cathedral School pupil Katherine Binu, 11, holds some items from the collection in front of her peers from other Dunedin Catholic schools including Trinity Catholic College and St Francis Xavier School yesterday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
A Dunedin foodbank has been overwhelmed by a combined collection by Catholic schools from across the city.
The nine schools in the Dunedin Catholic Schools Kāhui Ako collected food for St Vincent de Paul's Dunedin foodbank for Catholic Schools Day yesterday.
St Joseph's Cathedral School principal Jo Stanley said the day was a chance for the schools to showcase their Catholic values and get involved with the community.
''Social justice and caring for others is a big part of who we are as Catholics.
''We wanted to show the Dunedin community how we shine together as Catholic schools,'' she said.
Ms Stanley said St Vincent de Paul youth co-ordinator Jo Bell said the donations would go towards feeding the homeless and filling children's lunch boxes, so items that did not need to be cooked in a kitchen and could fit in containers were preferred.
The students and pupils were encouraged to empathise with the homeless and other children their age and consider what would be easily consumed by them.
Ms Bell said the charitable organisation was overwhelmed with the quantity and types of items brought in yesterday.
''Our children are great examples of generosity and care for others.
''Their enthusiasm inspires us to continue to work for change.''
mark.john@odt.co.nz
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
A time to express hopes and dreams
Fires were burning not long after 4am, a ceremony was under way at 5am and a new year was welcomed by a good gathering at Dunedin's Araiteuru Marae. Marae manager Tania Sharee Williams described the occasion yesterday as a chance to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the next, see friends and gather for kai. "We remember the dead and we say out their names through ceremony." Tania Sharee Williams celebrates Matariki at the Araiteuru Marae in Dunedin yesterday. PHOTOS: PETER MCINTOSH The occasion was also about expressing aspirations and dreams, "for our family, our hapū, our iwi, our marae, our country". Ms Williams was impressed by the 5am turnout at the Shetland St marae in Wakari, celebrating the new year on the Matariki public holiday. "We had about 80 people turn up and we had a wonderful gathering outside where we went through our hautapu ceremony," she said. Acknowledging Matariki at Dunedin's Araiteuru Marae yesterday morning were (from left) Anke Fronius, Martin Fronius and Teodora Georgescu, with her dog Roland. "We acknowledge the kahui whetu, which is the stars of Matariki, and we understand that each one of them has a role where they have an effect on different parts of the environment that give us resourcing for sustenance." People sometimes wrote messages and placed them in the fire, she said. Commemorating loved ones could be empowering, "especially for people who have recently in this last year lost someone — to be able to remember that person again through ceremony is easing for the heart". People of various nationalities were there, including a couple from France and a young man from China. "We were blessed that the rain held off for us," she said. "It was quite mild and — just all the fires burning, the torches going, as well as the cooking of the food for our kahui whetu — created a really warm ambience."
Otago Daily Times
05-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Clean and green
PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH North East Valley Normal School pupils Luthias Gilmore, 10 (left), and Ashton Dawson, 11, pick up refuse scattered about Lindsay Creek yesterday. The event was part of The Valley Project's World Environment Day 2025 activities. The aim was to walk the length of Lindsay Creek and pick up litter before it made its way into Dunedin's waterways, which would help to protect local wildlife, reduce pollution and keep the local ecosystem healthy.
Otago Daily Times
04-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Southern Catholic Secondary Schools Junior Winter Tournament
Photo: Peter McIntosh Photo: Peter McIntosh Dimpho Tiou (left), of Trinity Catholic College, attempts to evade Sophia Talaese, of Verdon College. Photo: Peter McIntosh Ace De la Cruz, of St Peter's College, warms up for his basketball match yesterday. Tilly Murch (left), of Verdon College, and Elsie Anderson, of Trinity Catholic College, compete for the ball in the Southern Catholic Secondary Schools Junior Winter Tournament at the Edgar Centre yesterday. The tournament, hosted by Trinity Catholic College, also featured students from Verdon College, St Kevin's College, and St Peter's College. Netball and basketball were held at the Edgar Centre, rugby at Kettle Park and hockey at the McMillan Turf.
