On Wednesday, April 2, the freshman at Bishop Gorman participated in a day of service, engaging in community projects to make a positive impact and foster teamwork. It offered fulfilling opportunities, and made an impact on those less fortunate.
“My service day experience was very good and I enjoyed getting to do work for the benefit of others,” Paul Rulis ‘28 said, “being a part of the Freshman Service Day not only grew my understanding of community service, but also helped me realize what it can do for those less fortunate than me.”
The service day provided four sections with different service activities to do, all relating to the four different organizations the freshman learned about. The students either cleaned books, made cards, made blankets, or ID cards for missing kids. Rulis was tasked with cleaning books and making blankets while Bella Cicchetti ‘28 had to clean books and make Easter cards.
“I always enjoy doing service, especially creative projects, and that’s why I was excited to do book prep and making Easter cards,” Cicchetti said, “the book preparation made me realize that some people aren’t as fortunate as Bishop Gorman, and it made me realize that these are real people getting the books and we are truly blessed to have helped with the process of prepping.”
The service day not only helped those in need, but also helped the freshmen. The service day made them realize the reality of what they are doing and how much their actions can help others, even if it’s as small as cleaning books or making cards.
“When you start working on some books, fixing the pages and cleaning them, you understand the reality of what you are doing,” Cicchetti said, “it made me feel grateful for donation book, for even if it’s not new, it’s a book on the way to a journey of reading.”
The service day also aligned with the values and missions of Bishop Gorman. Rulis said that he thinks it aligns with the S in the GAELS acronym, which stands for stewardship. Cicchetti also found herself agreeing with that.
“I think this service day helped solidify the S in the GAELS acronym,” Rulis said, “us, as a community, should come together and do some community service for others, showing that stewardship off.”
This service day not only helped the freshman realize the weight of reality and their actions, but also what the school wants them to take away from it.
“The school wants us to take away this idea that we should always help in our community and to not take everything for granted,” Cicchetti said, “these are real people, real people that could be us.”
