Students had a dress down day Thursday, where for $5 they got to take off the shirt and tie and dress casually in Xavier apparel. This time the cause was a blanket drive.
The Xavier and Mercy chapters of the National Honor Society are collaborating to raise money not to simply buy, but to make, blankets to be donated to the St. Vincent DePaul ministry in Middletown. On Feb. 8 the Xavier NHS officers as well as other NHS members will go to Mercy High School and make blankets with members of the Mercy NHS. The money from the Xavier apparel day on Wednesday is being used to buy material to make the blankets. About $2,000 was raised.
Mercy came to Xavier with the idea.
“I think it is a good way to get National Honor Society students engaged in service, especially something unique like making blankets,” Xavier NHS President Selorm Dogbey ’22 said. “I think it’s different than, for example, volunteering at an Open House. The more opportunities to engage the better. It fits the Xavier theme.”
The Monsignor Wilson Chapter of the National honor Society at Xavier honors outstanding students and focuses on giving service to the school and the community. Each member is required to perform 12 hours of service, according the NHS handbook guidelines.
The NHS drive to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an annual event in December, had a goal of $3,000. That was exceeded by $1,600.
Charitable acts are a hallmark of Xavier. A recent sock drive, associated with Three Kings Day, brought in many pairs of new socks, which is one of the greatest needs of homeless shelters in the cold winter months.
Members of the lacrosse team and coach Scott Basile recently volunteered time at Connecticut Foodshare.
A monthly food drive, coordinated by the Ryken Service Society, supports the Amazing Grace Food Pantry in Middletown. It is held the first Friday of the month so there will be one next Friday, Feb. 4. The robotics teams have an ongoing food drive that began when the pandemic started.
Those are just a few examples of being of service to others.
Dogbey has not yet decided on his college choice but knows he wants to go into the medical field. Both his parents are doctors.
“The reason we moved to America is that my mom, then my dad a year later, were admitted into a residency program in Connecticut, so medicine has dictated my life,” Dogbey said. “I’ve been around hospitals and medicine since childhood. It has always been a major part of my life.”