Who We Are

First Communion Gifts

2008-04-24T17:26:00.003-06:00

The fifth graders, led by Wendy Linehan, made about 400 rosaries this spring to give to local First Communicants. Indeed many St. Gabriel's families belong to these neighboring parish churches. In the spirit of community we extend our wish for God's blessings on all of these young ones as they make their First Communion. The kids enjoyed making these small tokens. Annie Pierce, Lisa Parrish, Lisa Nosek and Carrie Brown sealed them with cards and took charge of distribution.

St. Gabriel's Proud of its Eagle Scout Grads

2008-04-24T17:17:00.003-06:00

Over the past 3 years seven St. Gabriel's alumni have achieved the Eagle rank with the Boy Scouts of America. Achieving this rank is a great honor and the culmination of many years of hard work, as many scouts know. Only 5% of Boy Scouts make it this far, so we're particularly proud of these young men. They are Judson East, Joseph Jarke, Shawn Maloney and Andrew Reua (2007); Micheal Mitchell, Justin McCathy and Thomas Knox (2005). Congratulations!

Brandin' a Cause, Ropin' a Cure

2008-04-24T17:06:00.005-06:00

Linda and Frank Ginac have been busier than usual this year. These very involved and active St. Gabriel's parents are chairing one of Austin's premier fund raisers this spring. The Cattle Barons' Ball will take place at the TDS Exotic Ranch on May 31, all proceeds to benefit the American Cancer Society. This gala event promises to be the most lucrative yet, with this powerhouse couple at the helm.

Valentines for the troops

2008-01-05T19:26:00.001-06:00

Many groups do a service project of some sort in December to celebrate the Christmas season. This year the fourth grade Girl Scout troop 1953 spent its December meeting making fabric Valentine postcards for our US troops in Iraq. They embellished them with ribbons, buttons, and other pretty odds and ends and will send them in January to a friend's grandson who will distribute them to other soldiers there. As you can see by their smiles, the girls had a jolly time making them and hope they will bring smiles overseas.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-23T19:20:00.000-06:00

A wee angel stands atop a first grader's nativity scene in the lobby of St. Gabriel's school. We celebrate the birth of our Saviour.

First Annual Giving Tree

2007-12-21T18:42:00.000-06:00

Casa Angelina Orphanage in Guatemala is the object of this first year's giving tree. this orphanage was brought to our attention through mission work by a graduate of St. Gabriel's and St. Michael's, Rikki Dautel. The following is a touching quote from Rikki's bio: "Attending these shcools provided me with a great opportunity to learn about out wonderful Lord and his love for ALL his children. One specific bible verse from the book of James has always jumped out at me: 'Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look out for orphans.' James 1:27"

Fifty families provided gifts for all of the orphans here, giving these kids and our st. Gabriel's families a more meaningful Christmas this year.

Saradets Serenade Students

2007-12-17T19:08:00.000-06:00

The week before school let out for Christmas break, students entered the building to the lovely music of Shelby, 6th grade, and Kyle, 8th grade. The Saradet siblings played Christmas carols for about a half and hour before school began one morning, putting all of us present in the spirit. Most kids stopped and listened for a while before heading up to their classrooms. What a nice way to start the day!

"Holy cow!"

2007-12-14T08:29:00.000-06:00

(A note from Martin Wiggins...)

The generosity of St. Gabriel's families continues to be overwhelming and particularly at this time of year.
We rang the bell on coat collections this year outdoing any other single year since we began the drive in 2000.
Three hundred and eighty children will be warmer this winter thanks to your loving support of this campaign.

This was also a contest for the class with the most coats and our three divisional winners of cookie cakes are:

Pre-K thru Second……………………….Kindergarten
Third thru Fifth………………………….Third
Sixth thru Eighth………………………...Seventh

Student Council will get together with the winning teachers and the classes will get their cookie cakes sometime after the new year.

And a very special thank-you to Andrea Burrell (grade 8) for hauling these to Jack Brown each day!

Thanks Tons!

Halloween Treats for the Streets

2007-12-14T08:11:00.000-06:00

Our kids donated many bags of their Halloween candy to Mobile Loaves and Fishes again this year. The local charity will distribute this candy throughout the next year in bag lunches. On top of a balanced meal these added sweets are always appreciated MLF and their recipients.

Middle School Dances for Diapers

2007-09-17T11:43:00.000-06:00

They're at it again...Friday Sept. 7th was the first back to school dance and the kids got their grooves on while helping out the Gabriel Project of Austin. They brought diapers and other baby supplies to help stock the Austin Diocese group. Their thoughtfulness helps fund and support unwed mothers in crisis. Thanks, middle schoolers!

You think you know Mr. Wiggins?

2007-09-11T13:19:00.000-06:00

At the first mass of the school year Dr. Knotts recognized him for his service . We know him at school as the middle school social studies teacher, the yearbook coordinator, the originator of the "big sweat" Olympic games. The lower school kids may know him as that big guy who teaches upstairs.

But did you know he serves up a mean biscuits and venison jalapeño country gravy? If you stop by Christ Community Church on South Lamar early on a Sunday morning you can see him in action, cooking a hot breakfast with friends (and some of his eighth grade volunteers, I might add) for 150 hungry folks of Austin. He gets up very early on Sundays to do this important work; it's the only place in Austin to serve a hot meal to the homeless on Sundays, and Mr. Wiggins was one of the folks who organized this service back in the 80's. That's commitment.

There you go -- a few more reasons to love Mr. Wiggins: his kind heart, his leadership of his students even on the weekends, his helpful hands and his lionhearted way with country gravy.

Changing Lives...Bringing Hope

2007-09-11T12:25:00.000-06:00

You may recognize the folks in the top picture: Rachel McCarthy, alumnus 2007, and her father (center and right). You might not recognize the one on the left and the little boy in the photo below. Diane Black, the director of the Harvesters outreach program, recently made a visit to meet the McCarthy's here at St. Gabriel's to thank them on behalf of that smiling child. If you've been following this blog for awhile you know the effort the McCarthy's spearheaded last year for The Harvesters, the orphanage in Sudan.

Through a chance meeting, the McCarthy's recognized this enterprise across the world and got St. Gabriel's involved. The middle school community has donated $1116.08, plus school supplies, 5 laptop computers (Yes, they need computers!), and educational teaching supplies.

I don't know about you, but every time I read about some of the problems in Sudan I can't quite get my head around it; the brokenness seems so vast. For some of us, we consider these seemingly hopeless places around the globe and we pray. Others, the miracle-workers, think "Those are my sisters and brothers, those are my children," and they roll up their sleeves. I've bookmarked the harvester's website on my laptop because every time I go to their website and read the newsletter my heart is hopeful for Sudan. There exists a place there you won't recognize from the news we normally read. Yes, the tragic stories exist, with real names and faces, but they are interwoven with stories of change and hope. Truly.

The picture of that happy kiddo comes directly from The Harvesters' website. Check out the link to many more faces of hope and joy, and see for yourself Christ's hands and feet working in Sudan.

Ground Blessing Ceremony

2007-05-21T10:53:00.000-06:00

"Under bright hill country skies we prepare for the best in our lives."...When did the lyrics of St. Gabriel's school song more perfectly reflect the occasion? Our community took another step toward realizing the dream for our new middle school building on a mild and beautiful Friday morning last week. On May 18 at 8:00 am parents, friends and grandparents walked down the hill to the new building site. After them, all classes and faculty emerged from the existing school building followed by banners declaring their graduation year. Encircling the site, we sang and prayed in thanks for God's blessings and offered written prayers to place in the new building's foundation. Msgnr. McCabe, assisted by Dr. Knotts, walked the perimeter of the site and blessed the ground and the building's future students. The ceremony helped all present to imagine the existence of the new structure and to appreciate the efforts and many forms of giving which have moved this project forward to this point.

First Graders Deliver ...

2007-05-21T10:37:00.001-06:00

...pop tabs, that is. After filling boxes all year with those tiny metal tabs, these children finally delivered their gift to the Ronald McDonald House last week. They were able to visit the people who benefit from their service project and meet others who help families with sick children every day. This was a truly meaningful field trip!

Play Structure Built

2007-05-13T10:15:00.000-06:00

April 28th: a long-planned project becomes reality, just in time for some gorgeous spring weather. Those kids must be loving their new playground!

Eagle Scout Projects Spruce Up Austin Neighborhood

2007-04-23T13:01:00.001-06:00

In three separate but related projects, eighth grade Boy Scouts Hudson East, Shaun Maloney, and Andrew Reue will focus their efforts on one East Austin neighborhood and its need for improved children's play areas. The area around the True Light Daycare on Forth Branch Blvd will benefit from three Eagle Scout projects which include a new playground structure at the community park (East), a Safety surface and trike track for toddlers (Maloney), and a new water fountain and deck area for an outdoor kiln (Reue). St. Gabriel's is very proud to have such dedicated leaders in our middle school! Updates to follow...

An Update from the Harvesters

2007-04-23T12:50:00.000-06:00

Rachel McCarthy is the eighth grader who suggested the Valentines dance fundraiser (see blog post below). She received this Thank You letter recently which details the recipient's graitude:

Terry and Rachel,

How are things in Austin? Everything at the orphanage and school are great! We are in the middle of a monthly testing period at the school, and in late April we start end of the semester exams! I cannot believe this semester is almost over.

I wanted to make sure to send both of you a "thank you" email for all the heart and hard work you put into helping the school. I just recently had a potential donor ask me "What kind of things do you need at the school?" and I responded with, "What don't we need?". In areas like this, every bit of help goes a long way, so your project was a huge blessing and encouragement.

Below I have included an excerpt from my newsletter I send out to interested people in America. I told the story of how my dad met you and what resulted from your actions...

God Bless both of you and thanks again!

Christina

Here it is:

Big Things Come from Small Actions

As many of you may know, my father is a pilot for American Airlines. He is also my agent. He frequently hands out my brochures on his flights and is constantly telling people about God's work in Sudan. Recently, we saw great rewards for his daily actions.

While on one flight, my father spoke to a man named Terry McCarthy. Mr. McCarthy mentioned that his thirteen year old daughter, Rachel, had been studying Sudan in her geography class. He asked for permission to have his daughter email me.

Terry and Rachel were quick to contact me. After looking at the pictures on my website, they felt called to act. Rachel petitioned her school in Austin Texas, St. Gabriel's Catholic School, to donate the money raised from their annual benefit dance to Harvesters. Terry spoke with the school about donating used laptops from their school to our school here in Sudan.

I was grateful beyond words when I read that so much came from the work of my father, Terry and Rachel. If my father had not been diligent in raising awareness about the need in Sudan, none of this would have happened. If Terry had not been moved to act, none of this would have happened. And, if Rachel had not already possessed the willingness and heart to help others, none of this would have happened.

I hope this story encourages all of you to use the tools God has placed before you to help others. It can be volunteering at a homeless shelter down the street, witnessing over coffee at your favorite shop or organizing a benefit during a school dance. We are all part of Christ's body, and we all have a purpose. I pray that God continues to reveal His wonderful purpose for you.

DEAR Day Donation

2007-04-23T10:48:00.000-06:00

"Drop Everything And Read Day" was Thursday, April 12th. In honor of a beloved pastime, St. Gabriel's students did just that for one half hour of the school day. In addition to savoring some extra time for reading, the kids also contributed to a book donation hosted by our librarian Caitlin Robson. She asked students to bring in gently used books for Safe Place in Austin and received 957 books for the shelter's charter school's new library. What a nice way to share a love for books!

A New Family

2007-03-07T10:33:00.000-06:00

Evidence that we truly are family at St. Gabriels: if you missed it, kindergarten teacher Ellen Yurko and Art Mika exchanged wedding vows at the school mass this morning in the school gym. Assembled as witnesses for the beaming bride and groom were all of St. Gabriels' students and faculty, as well as many parents. The kindergartners were the flower children in the processional, each carrying one peach colored rose to assemble at the alter in two massive bouquets. "It was as beautiful as any wedding I've ever seen," said one guest. In the receiving line after the wedding, Ellen exclaimed, "It was perfect. It was exactly what I wanted!" The happy couple will honeymoon in Mexico. Best wishes and many thanks to Ellen and Art for sharing their special day with us.

Jean Rodgers Doesn't Miss Her Locks

2007-03-07T10:13:00.000-06:00

In fact she looks adorable with her short bobbed hair. She recently donated her hair to Locks of Love, the organization that provides hair prosthetics to disadvantaged children who've lost their hair as a result of a medical diagnosis. After a non carcinogenic melanoma on her skin (who knew sunbathing with baby oil was a dangerous habit 20 years ago?), Jean easily decided to have her hair cut because it was "just something I could do". Her hair stylist, who lost his wife from cancer, cut and styled a terrific do in return. Jean says she's seen a lot of the young girls do it. Now maybe she'll start a trend among the women!

Jewelry Business Owner Plans Trip and Gift

2007-03-01T22:50:00.000-06:00

St. Gabriels fourth grader Alexandra Reid, together with her cousins Josh and Samantha, started making jewelry last summer with the idea of giving a portion of the proceeds to Safe Passage in Guatemala. The kids heard about this organization at school and decided they would like to support it and eventually visit Guatemala themselves. They will kick off their new jewelry business "Friends Forever" this weekend at the Lakeway indoor garage sale. If you're in the area, stop by and support these three friends and their dream of someday meeting their forever friends in Guatemala. These kids are truly an inspiration!

Gifts in Heaven

2007-03-01T22:37:00.000-06:00

Fourth grade teacher Jennifer Lyssy told me about a sweet girl in her class named Audrey Abbott. Audrey celebrated her birthday this month, but she didn't want any presents from her friends at school. Instead she told her classmates to please make a donation to the prayer garden for a gift for a Roxanne Nicks, a parent who tragically died in a car accident last December. During a time of mourning and healing Audrey gifts us with her faith and generosity.

Valentines for Sudan

2007-03-01T22:11:00.000-06:00

The seventh and eighth graders' Valentine Dance is enjoyed this year by many who do not even go to St. Gabriels. The collection at the door this time benefited an organization called Harvesters, a Christian orphanage situated in one of the harshest countries in Africa. The people there meet the ongoing crisis in Sudan with love, faith, education and Christian service. Our kids chose this charity to be the recipients of school supplies and donations of money to purchase calendars, flash cards, and other materials needed by the Harvesters' school. Thanks to the middle school kids for their generosity. We can all help the Harvesters right now if we choose to get involved: their website's first request is for prayers.

National Honors Society Leads Through Service

2007-03-01T21:58:00.000-06:00

The first Thursday of each month is volunteer day for our National Honors students in middle school. A rotating team of four NHS members from St. Gabriels go to Caritas and make sandwiches for the soup kitchen. In addition to their ongoing participation in Caritas' work, the kids have also held "penny wars" in order to contribute to the research and medical treatment provided by St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Their leadership is indeed evident by their community outreach.

Evergreen Christmas Spirit

2007-02-27T21:19:00.000-06:00

MaryAnne Perkins, our lower school Math enrichment teacher, spearheaded a campaign this year to send letters to 410 military police deployed in Iraq. She and her kids became pen pals with the soldiers last year, and sent Christmas gifts to each one. These important connections with our soldiers have been maintained throughout the whole schoolyear. How lovely to remember people during the Christmas season; the spirit which doesn't fade during the other 11 months is true Christmas spirit indeed! We appreciate the math kids for maintaining these relationships.

Seventh Grade Offering

2007-02-27T10:52:00.000-06:00

St. Gabriels' seventh graders are collecting toiletries this year for the homeless. What an excellent idea for a service project! Couldn't someone use all those small amounts of products which seem to acccumulate in our bathroom drawers? Just think about it: we probably wouldn't want to divulge how many little pots, tubes, jars, bars and bottles of stuff we feel we need to be presentable in the morning. Most of us would agree we could narrow it down to two or three if needed. Now imagine having to carry those three things around with you all day, every day. I know it makes me reassess what I really need. Thank you to the seventh grade for remembering the small, necessary comforts.

Footloose for Lifeworks

2007-02-27T10:35:00.000-06:00

When the middle schoolers hold a dance, it's never just a dance. Recently, at their Winter dance they joined forces and collected over 100 backpacks for the youth at Lifeworks in Austin. This organization strives to provide a hand, as well as safety, to families in crisis. On another occasion, the kids brought in over 400 pounds of dog and cat food for an animal shelter. Their giving spirit should truly inspire us. Imagine the overflow of goodwill if, whenever we gathered together for fun, maybe at a book club meeting or monthly coffee club, we took the effort to remember those who may not have that kind of friendship and support in their lives. Kudos to these young teenagers for starting what could be a wonderful trend!

Eighth Grade Distributes Lunch

2007-02-27T10:20:00.000-06:00

All those Bag lunches the little ones made for Caritas (see post below) are delivered and served at the downtown Caritas location by our eighth graders. These young people represent the best of us when they take on the role of servant to our city's hungry. As children develop into adults they are fortunate to have the opportunity to discover where their service is needed and then to carry through. We're proud of St. Gabriels' eighth grade class as they become the giving leaders and community servants of today and the future.

Parents Serve at Caritas Soup Kitchen

2007-02-27T09:50:00.000-06:00

We are called to"feed the hungy." At least once every month a team of St. Gabriels parents serve lunch to hundreds of hungry Austin folks downtown at 6th and Neches. Generally a shift at the soup kitchen starts around 9:30 in the morning, preparing the food, washing fruit and vegetables, and setting up the serving trays. Lunch service runs from noon until 1:30 and feeds around 400+ people. The clean up is quick and efficient and involves getting the kitchen and service equipment scrubbed down and ready for the next day. This is one amazing operation. The people who regularly work Austin's only soup kitchen and the parents who volunteer there model the true spirit of service with their belief that when you serve in this capacity you receive much more than you give. As one Volunteer noted, "we provided them with enrichment of food and they provided us with enrichment of the soul."

Bag Lunches for Caritas

2007-02-27T06:50:00.000-06:00

The truth is, making PBJs for Caritas each month is just plain fun. First, the lower school kids get to decorate brown bags with their art, drawn and personalized in bright marker. Then parent volunteers set up tables and create an assembly line in the school vestibule, just outside the lunchroom. They stuff the brown bags with chips and chocolates, then lay out the bread, get the peanut butter and jelly ready, and wait for the children to cycle through their lunch rotation. Class after class files by, talking and giggling while making their sandwiches. Some kids get really into it and would help all day if they could, but the limit is usually two. Two sandwiches per ziplock bag and pop, into a pretty bag it goes. Each grade level is responsible for at least one Caritas day per year, and there are always lots of volunteers because it's a chance to catch up with fellow moms and see all the kiddos. It's a wonderful way to spend a few hours. But the best thing about Caritas day is seeing lunch for 400 ready to ship out that afternoon.

A New Place to Play ..Coming Soon!

2007-02-25T20:24:00.000-06:00

Boyscout Hudson East plans to be an Eagle Scout next year. For his Eagle Scout project Hudson is leading a major construction project in East Austin to build a brand new playground for a neighborhood community center which badly needs a safer place for children to play and families to meet. You will not believe the ambitious plans this young man has undertaken! At the time of this post he is 80% toward reaching his goal to build the playstructure. His website www.safeplayaustin.org will give you all the details about his personal service project. St. Gabriels is truly proud to have him represent our community.

A Math-a-thon for St. Judes

2007-02-24T21:46:00.000-06:00

St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital leads the way in treating cancers in children. One way for kids to help other kids is through their Math-a-thon, now in its 27th year. Here's the deal: the fifth graders have obtained sponsors for math problems completed, they've honed their math skills, and they've taken the test. Now they're collecting their pledges to send to the hospital in Memphis for research and treatment. The test was fun and challenging, in the form of puzzles and games, and the money benefits other kids. That was enough to make St. Gabriels' fifth grade kids want to sharpen their pencils for a good cause.

Fourth Graders' Servicio!

2007-02-24T21:18:00.001-06:00

Guatemala City may be 1200 miles away, but she is very near to the hearts and minds of our children in Jennifer Lyssy's and Jill Hall's fourth grade classrooms. In order to help some children take the first steps out of poverty, they will be sending school supplies to Safe Passage, an organization which provides an education to children who live in the harrowing city dump in Guatemala City. As a result of one child's education and graduation, his or her entire family may be lifted up from desperate survival to a life of hope and safety.

Chores Help Make Wishes a Reality

2007-02-24T21:06:00.000-06:00

When it came time to choose a service project, third graders chose the organization which granted one of their classmates his wish last summer. The Make-A-Wish Foundation makes it possible for children with serious illnesses to see their wildest dreams come true. For Maxwell Gaddy, his was to visit the White House and become the president for a day. While one day may not have been long enough to affect the kinds of changes Maxwell surely envisioned, he did get to meet the president! The third grade children are doing odd jobs around their homes to raise money so that other kids might have similar amazing experiences of their own.

Friendship Boxes

2007-02-24T20:55:00.000-06:00

Even our littlest ones seem to be able to imagine walking in another child's shoes. When asked to make a friendship box for children who come to an emergency shelter in New Braufels called Connections, these pre-kindergarteners thought of everything. Teachers Cecelia Locke and Rose Gibson suggested decorating a box and filling it with stuffed animals, books and school supplies; the children brought all that and more. Stickers, play dough, playing cards, toys, slinkies, toiletries and personal notes and drawings will offer a bright warm touch of welcome to what is likely and uncertain and troubling transition for many children. Mrs. Locke marvels, "it has been amazing to see what can fit in a shoe box. This has become a family activity and when the children bring in the boxes we talk about them at Religion time. The children are enjoying gathering the items and making each box special."

Every Little Tab Counts

2007-02-24T20:23:00.000-06:00

Who knew the pop tab was more valuable than the can? The first graders do. This year Lydia Lowry's and Stephanie Cowan's classes have been collecting those high quality metal tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. Each box will be recycled to help with the charity's overhead, which covers a family's room and board when a sick child needs to be hospitalized far from home. In fact, the pop tab boxes bring in around $3000.00 annually -- proof that you don't have to be big to make a remarkable contribution. But any first grader could tell you that.

2007-02-24T19:59:00.000-06:00

The volunteers at Mobile Loaves and Fishes in Austin would probably testify that clean, thick socks are one of the most useful items one can own. We who have access to washers and driers and Target stores seven days a week certainly don't give them much thought. Yet so many people just don't have the simple luxury of one clean pair each day. Several classes chose to focus their service projects around the much overlooked undergarment. Please check them out. Here, MLF director Alan Graham visits a kindergarten classroom at St. Gabriels.

If Days Were Socks

2007-02-24T14:07:00.000-06:00

The kindergarten class has been keeping track of the days they've been coming to school this year. As the count approached the nice round number of 100, the kids started bringing in pairs of clean new socks, hoping to have at least 100 pairs when that auspicious day fell. On January 22, the hundredth day of school, the kids had 483 socks to count (which would put them well into the second grade, by the way). Teacher Ellen Yurko stated, "Much better than counting peices of candy, huh?"

Second Graders Reach out to the Homeless...

2007-02-24T13:52:00.000-06:00

Literally. How many times a week do we pull up to an intersection in Austin to be met with someone who needs a hand? Well, the 2nd graders have put together some care packages to hand out, with a little help from their parents, in just such a situation. Each gift is a pair of socks with a stash of thoughtfully gathered personal items. Toiletries and a fresh pair of scoks will come in handy as recipients face another day on the streets. Along with a second grader's smile, this kindness could really help someone out. Thanks to Mrs. Stephanie Smith and Mrs. Erika Siebeneicher for coming up with this meaningful and tangible service project.

Service on the Streets

2007-01-28T10:34:00.000-06:00

We all get so busy with our daily routines, as well as the small unexpected dramas which unfold in our family lives. Sometimes a retreat is required to change one's perspective, to "go deeper" and make personal discoveries. Our head of school Dr. Judith Knotts periodically takes "street retreats" which allow her to see life form a very different perspective -- through the eyes of the homeless. An important discovery was that grace is the gift of not only serving others, but in being served by them. Please visit the Mobile Loaves and Fishes website to read the whole story.

The Quiltmaker's Gift in Austin

2006-12-18T16:06:00.000-06:00

If you're looking for a beautiful gift to give a child this Christmas check out The quiltmaker's gift by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken, about a generous quiltmaker who sews the most beautiful quilts in the world, then gives them away. If you're looking for a real life story about a real person in Austin who gathered supplies and blankets fora few homeless women just in time for the cold snap last month, let me tell you about Pat Basilotto. This warm, friendly person made some acquaintances among our city's homeless while making a "street retreat" during Holy Week a few years ago. When the temperatures dropped in mid November she collected some warm things and took to the streets again to deliver them to a few needy folks she knows. Last week I talked to Pat, a substitute teacher here at St. Gabriels, about this event. She was so sweet and humble when telling the story...and I think she has a bit of the "quiltmaker" in her. Magic.

Spanish Club Reaches Guatemala

2006-12-14T11:00:00.000-06:00

Our middle school Spanish Club recently set a goal for themselves. After meeting Rachel Meyn, a speaker from the non proft organization Safe Passage, they decided to pledge their support for a child who benefits from this special program. Many children in Guatemala help their families by living and working in the city's dump where they find recyclables to sell or trade. Through Safe Passage's work thousands of children have been able to instead go to school, graduate from high school, and get jobs to better support themselves and their families. The students in the Spanish club, headed by faculty member Tara Prien, will be selling t shirts to raise money to send each month so that a child just like them can begin to hope for a brighter future. The kids also sent Christmas cards and will be hosting a drive to collect supplies for Safe Passage in the spring. Let's support their efforts to serve a Guatemalan friend.

Brown Santa

2006-12-10T12:29:00.000-06:00

Each year since 1981 the Travis County Sheriff's Department helps needy local families by providing meals and gifts for each person on their list. On Saturday afternoon, Dec. 9, St. Gabriels' families met at the Brown Santa headquarters on Airport Blvd. to wrap presents for the organization. The atmosphere was festive as kids and parents busily selected books, puzzles, games and toys from the well-stocked supply and wrapped them up in paper and ribbons with handwritten personalized tags. The spirit of Christmas will brighten over 1200 area families' Christmas season. Friends Rachel Anders and Alex Petrucci pose as Santa's helpers.

Coats for Kids

2006-12-10T11:17:00.000-06:00

The annual Coats for Kids drive, headed by the student council and teacher Martin Wiggins, brought in 239 coats this year. The large red bins near the front entrance to the school were separated by grade level and made for the usual festive display for the last two weeks of November. Top collectors were second, fourth and seventh grades. Mr. Wiggins says we were a little bit down from previous years' numbers of over 300 coats. There were still enough coats to more than cover student council president Luke Seeker(above) and to bring warmth to over 200 little ones this winter. Maryanne Perkins and other staff members met on Sat. Dec. 9 to distribute them on a perfectly chilly morning. As you do your spring cleaning next year, why not save those outgrown coats for next year's drive!

Thanks + Giving

2006-12-07T23:17:00.001-06:00

During Thanksgiving week our St. Gabriels' boy scouts reached out to their communities to collect various gifts for Austin charities. Pack 990, Den 3 met on November 27th and took in a carload of books, toys and food items for St. Vincent De Paul, Blue Santa, and some local hospitals. Thanks, guys!

Thanks + Giving

2006-12-07T23:17:00.000-06:00

All Creatures Great and Small

2006-11-18T08:37:00.000-06:00

Jessica Hendrick adopted her charming miniature dachshund Iggy last year from a puppy mill in Brownwood, TX. Her kindness continued on Nov. 10 when she and Iggy participated in the first annual Rags to Wags Gala and Fashion Show benefiting Austin's Human Society. Iggy and Jessica were able to share their own happy ending with other animals and friends of the city's only no-kill shelter and Iggy was delighted to sport new duds from Fetch, the pet boutique.

One of the Family

2006-11-18T07:47:00.000-06:00

Have you met Jessica Hendrick? A couple of months ago Jessica became the new director of St. Gabriels' marketing department and she hasn't missed a beat. Nor have her new job responsibilities hindered her involvement in community service projects near and dear to her heart. Over October 28 and 29, the inaugural Livestrong Summit in Austin hosted meetings with over 800 cancer survivors and advocates to address the needs of people living with cancer. A volunteer with the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Jessica organized and led a team of ten delegates through discussions on helping cancer patients with their paperwork, making improvements to their local health care systems, and informing local communities around the nation of resources readily available to them She and the Foundation also donated a gift basket to the Gala Auction.

But Have You Heard Her Smile?

2006-11-18T07:36:00.000-06:00

We've all seen Donia Crouch's dazzling smile around St. Gabriels. For two hours Thursday morning Nov. 16, Relevant Radio listeners had the chance to hear it over the phone lines. Yes, Catholic radio station 970 AM held a phone-a-thon and Sonia was there to take supporters' pledges at the station on Research Blvd. in North Austin. She says, "It was fun talking to listeners from all over the country who value the Good News as much as we do." So that's why she shines!

Candy from Heaven

2006-11-14T13:04:00.000-06:00

Our little angels (and goblins and witches) spent Tues evening trick-or-treating, then hauled it to school the rest of the week. Mobile Loaves and Fishes received thousands of pieces of candy from our school children in the days after Halloween to distribute on the streets of Austin. Kathy Clark organized this annual donation drive; Maureen Moore, Misa Rojo, Laura Cochrane, and Jean Rodgers spent three hours Friday Nov. 3rd counting all the candy. Barry Clark delivered it to the food trucks. For months to come, folks will savor this effort to spread a little sweetness.

Homeless Get a Much Needed Birthday Celebration

2006-10-27T13:44:00.000-06:00

As a community service project St. Gabriels' lower school students (grades 1 - 5) made over 200 birthday cards for the homeless. These cards were distributed by St. Gabriels' Head of School Judith Knotts, Ed.D. "The children put a lot of thought into the birthday cards and the messages they wrote," said Knotts. "There was a high level of empathy and warmth. I was pround to hand them out."