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Building community through faith, fellowship, food
One Wilmington school decided no one should have to spend Christmas alone, so students started an initiative to bring the community together.
WILMINGTON, Del. - At the Salesianum School in Wilmington, they believe no one should spend Christmas alone.
"This is our second annual Christmas lunch. We started last year as a way to build more community on a day when faith and hope and community are so important," Father Chris Beretta explained.
It’s a student-led initiative, started by former student John Casale. "It is absolutely amazing that the students here, at Sally’s, are actually continuing something like this," he said.
The initiative has since been passed on to senior, Ian Fanhoe. "He asked me to take over for the event. I saw it as an opportunity to try something new and challenge myself," he remarked. "It feels great to do something and give back to the community."
Students spent a portion of their Christmas Day at school, serving residents of the Wilmington Housing Authority a meal, provide gifts and get photos with Santa.
Casale continued, "I said to him all the work you put in now, you’re gonna see, once it hits 12 o’clock, everyone is going to be in here eating, talking and that’s when it hits. These people are so thankful for everything. A day like today. Jesus was born for us. It’s just amazing to have family and everyone be together."
The luncheon doubled in size in just one year with hundreds of people turning out.
"They’re our neighbors right across the street. I don’t know why we haven’t done this sooner. We should have had events with them. We need to be together more," Casale said. "I think there are a lot of things going on in the world that just try to separate people and this is something that’s here to include people."
And it’s turning into an event people look forward to. Father Beretta says that is what the school is all about, "I always challenge them and so does everyone that works here and we say the idea is to build that sense of community, not just here, but to take it outside these walls. And, I can’t think of a better example than on Christmas day."