By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — It was a “white out” at All Saints Catholic School on Jan. 15. No, there wasn’t a snowstorm, but a flurry of toilet paper donations filled the school’s hallways. Money also was collected.
From left, Sean Thompson, Yuliana Marceleno, Nate Parchert and Sydney Newberry carry bags full of toilet paper to a trailer to be delivered to The Center in Davenport. All Saints Catholic School in Davenport collected toilet paper and donations on Jan. 15 to give to people in need.
Principal Jeanne Von Feldt estimates that students collected more than 450 rolls of toilet paper and more than $100 in donations. The items and money will be donated to The Center, which houses a food pantry in Davenport.
In return for collecting donations of toilet paper or money, students didn’t have to wear their uniforms that day.
Eighth-grader Katie Engel, student council president, said the idea came from her youth ministry program at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
“We heard the story of a lady who was at The Center. She told the volunteers there that she didn’t even have enough money to buy toilet paper,” Engel said. “We were touched by the story. Everybody needs toilet paper. But it’s not something you think about when you give to a food pantry.”
So Katie proposed the idea to the student council, which was eager to take on the project.
As the school day started, donations of toilet paper and money were brought to the office. Loose rolls and smaller packages of toilet paper were put into larger plastic bags for transport.
Several student council members loaded a trailer so that the goods could be taken to the pantry. Katie said the donations of toilet paper and money far exceeded their expectations.
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