November Was A Month of Service...

Although every month offers opportunities for our students to serve

others, November is the month for two of Saint Joseph's High School's largest service projects - Work for Saint Joe (WFSJ) and the h.o.p.e. Thanksgiving Food Drive.  

This year, 538 students, parents, and teachers ventured out on a glorious fall day to rake leaves and wash windows for those not able to do their own fall clean-up. After a 7:45 a.m. registration,  WFSJ began as it always does with Mass in the gym.  At the conclusion of Mass, everyone grabbed their rakes, gathered with their groups, piled into parent-driven cars, and headed for their first stop.  Some lawns like the Portage Manor property are massive and take a large crew all morning to complete.  Other smaller crews take on more manageable lawns and make two or three stops.  If the assigned lawns are relatively leaf-free, the students simply move to other yards in the neighborhood and rake those-much to the delight of unsuspecting home owners. After the labor and joy that comes from doing good work with friends, the teams headed back to school for a pizza lunch.

This is a day that requires a massive organizational effort. After names are received from Real Services and students have signed up in teams through their theology classes, the organizers match parent drivers to teams and destinations. It takes a great deal of time and coordination to make this day successful. Under the leadership of Tami Goy in the Campus Ministry Office, parents Linda Rasmussen and Jennifer Staud made it all happen on Sunday, November 6. On a date that often brings cold, rain, and snow, the sun was shining on all the volunteers for WFSJ.

The h.o.p.e. Thanksgiving Food Drive is an annual project that kicks off every year at Mass, this year on November 1. Although preparation is necessary in the weeks before kick-off, the clock starts ticking after Mass. By the time we reach the day of delivery, almost everyone in the school will have played a role in the Food Drive. It begins with a pledge. All members of the Saint Joe community make a commitment. Sponsoring a family this year was $50.  Individual pledges ranged from $5.00 to multiple families. This year 416 families were pledged, equaling $20,800.

classroom totals, and making deposits each day, the week before delivery has activities Tuesday through Friday.  On Tuesday, the mailing to the recipient families must be prepared and mailed. Wednesday is a mandatory drivers' meeting for all who have agreed to deliver.   On Thursday, a contingent of volunteers meet in the gym balcony to tape the boxes that will hold the majority of the food.  Friday after school, we have approximately 70-100 students who are on hand to help unload the truck of food that arrives right after school.  The food remains on the stage until Sunday afternoon when we begin the packing and delivery phase of the Food Drive. We meet in the chapel for Mass and then move to the gym to organize the boxes and bags and begin filling them with food.  When the work ends around 8:30 p.m., the tasks that remain will be completed Monday during the day by the leadership of h.o.p.e. Thanks to Mr. Kevin Mackey and the maintenance crew, the turkeys and pumpkin pies are delivered, and the food deliveries are complete.  

Once everything is packed and labeled, the gym is ready for the end of the day and the influx of our student and parent drivers and passengers.  What has taken weeks of preparation and hours of work disappears from the gym within an hour. The boxes and bags of groceries are on their way to the families, as our volunteer drivers deliver not only food but also hope and good wishes.

We have many to thank.  First and foremost is our Saint Joe family who ultimately raised just over $22.000, an astounding amount of money in this troubled economy... and in just three weeks. We are indebted to one of our Saint Joe families who each year donates the potatoes, onions, and cabbages for our recipient families. Mr. Mike Harrison, president of the Container Service Corp, donates all of the boxes each year. Mr. Josh Klosinski, manager of the Portage Street Aldi and a former h.o.p.e. member, offers his help and support throughout the Food Drive, and Mr. Bernie Taylor and his employer Hoosier Spring who each year gives us not only the use of one of their trucks but employees to load and deliver the food to Saint Joe.  Thank you all!

This Food Drive is successful each year because of the spirit and generous hearts of the entire Saint Joe community, the tireless and enthusiastic service of our students, and the support and good will of the administration, faculty, and staff. This year's h.o.p.e. leadership team has been remarkable. Mrs. Tanya Mead and Mrs. Susan Lightcap, h.o.p.e. sponsors, would like to thank Gracie Gallagher, Charlie Geary, Casey Gelchion, Ryan Geoppinger, Lindsey Kuitse, Madeline Lewis, Sarah Page, Erin Polega, and Abby Toth for their dedication, efficiency, hard work, and joyous natures.

Click here for photo album of Food Drive 

After obtaining a degree from Oxford, Buttigieg worked for McKinsey & Company, a top consulting firm, where he was responsible for advising senior business and government leaders on major decisions related to economic development, energy policy, strategic business initiatives, and logistics. His work took him around the country and the world, including to Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Buttigieg is also an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He lives in the same neighborhood where he grew up, where is he restoring a once vacant home.

Buttigieg is working to bring a fresh start to South Bend. He will develop and strengthen the local economy by retaining and attracting businesses, partner with the local public school system, manage a cutting-edge and transparent city administration, and provide safety and security by empowering neighborhoods throughout our community.

Mike Schmuhl was born and raised in South Bend. He grew up on the south side and graduated in 2001 from Saint Joseph's High School. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in History.

Before moving back home to get involved in public service, Mike worked in journalism in Washington, D.C. In the spring of 2004, he was an intern for the late Tim Russert at NBC's top political show, Meet the Press, where he helped to cover the Democratic presidential primary.

From 2006 to 2009, he worked as a television and radio producer at The Washington Post, where he was responsible for the newspaper's presence in broadcasting outside the newspaper. He coordinated daily news segments with reporters, editors, and columnists in the newsroom as well as producers and hosts at different news organizations across the country and world.

In 2010, Mike was Congressman Joe Donnelly's campaign manager. Preceding his time on the campaign trail, Mike was a field representative in the congressman's federal office in South Bend.

Mike also serves as the elected 2nd Congressional District chairman of the Democratic Party. He is the youngest member of the state party's central committee with full voting rights.

• First Semester Exams are scheduled for December 16-20. 
• Absences for trips will not be excused on these days resulting in loss of credit on exams.
• Students will be dismissed for Christmas Break following their last semester exam on Tuesday, December 20; please make plans accordingly.
• Friday, December 16: Periods 1-2 exams, 7:55 a.m. start, 10:35 a.m. dismissal
• Monday, December 19: Periods 3-8 exams, 7:55 a.m. start, 12:00 p.m. dismissal
• Tuesday, December 20: Periods 9-10 exams, 7:55 a.m. start, 10:35 a.m. dismissal