Page 21 - The Paduan Summer 2021

Campus Ministry NEWS (Cont.)
Padua Raises $15,578 during
Christmas Charity Drive
Throughout the month of December, our students, faculty, staff and alumni participated in our Christmas For Others campaign. Padua raised $15,578 in cash for families and charities in need, in addition to thousands of material donations. CFO is a program designed to make the holidays brighter for the less fortunate. It is the largest student-run fundraiser in Northeast Ohio.
“We live by the adage that it is in giving that we receive” shared President David Stec ’86. The Key Club, which is a student organization with a focus on service and leadership, lives that challenge.
Padua distributed the money and goods on Friday, December 18, 2020.
Junior Anthony Kucera explained, “CFO allows us to give to those who aren’t as lucky. It’s important that as a Franciscan school, we give back to those who need it just as St. Francis once did. The school was able to help so many individuals and families even while navigating the COVID pandemic and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to give.”
Because of the pandemic, this year’s event looked a bit different. “We couldn’t get together and have our traditional Coin Wars
in the gym and we couldn’t handle cash donations like we
have in the past,” explained Mr. Stec. “Covid presented us with some challenges. We had to take a number of steps to keep our
A Special Wish (Cleveland) Advent for Others/All Faiths
Pantry (Parma)
Birth Care of Medina County El Salvador Mission Trip
Matt Talbot Inn (Parma)
May Dugan Center (Cleveland) Parma Animal Shelter
Parma Hunger Center
The following non- profits, inner-city schools, local food pantries and animal shelters received donations:
Promise for Haiti
Providence House (Cleveland) Francis School (Cleveland) Herman’s House (Cleveland) West Side Catholic Center
(Cleveland)
William Cosgrove Center
(Cleveland)
Zelie’s Home (Garfield Hts.)
Senior Oliva Stefka added that “Christmas for Others is significant because it puts aside everybody’s similarities and differences and solely focuses on the community’s closeness to help those in our everyday lives.”
For 49 years, the Padua community has come together in the Franciscan spirit of giving. Since its inception in 1971, CFO has raised more than $500,000 for charity. In December 2019, we raised $36,409 in addition to thousands of items (food, clothing, books and toys) for the underprivileged. CFO is sponsored, organized and operated by the students, under the direction of Padua’s Key (Kiwanis) Club.
students and community safe this year,” explained Stec.
Key Club Receives WVIZ’s NewsDepth A+ Award
Padua received WVIZ Ideastream’s NewsDepth A+ Award on Thursday, February 25, 2021 for helping those in need during our annual Christmas For Others charity drive.
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