St. Viator offers 'Service & Song' summer camp
All this week, more than 130 students attending Saint Viator High School's Service & Song Camp will spread out across the Northwest suburbs to volunteer at nine different social service agencies.
"As we go about this, there are people in the world who are hungry, lonely, sick and alone," said Fr. Corey Brost on the opening day. "This week we're going to feed the hungry and visit the lonely.
"We'll be changing the lives of people by the work you do," he added. "You'll be changing the world because you had the guts to come this week."
Their destinations include: Community Threads, Sisters of the Living Word, WINGS, the Wheeling Township Food Pantry and the Viatorian Community Garden, all in Arlington Heights; Journey Care in Barrington; Catholic Charities in Des Plaines; St. Joseph Home for the Elderly and Journeys | The Road Home, both in Palatine; and Feed My Starving Children in Schaumburg. They also will help out at homes of area senior citizens.
Students divided into 10 teams, which grouped junior high and incoming students with teen leaders from Saint Viator. Each afternoon starts out with a reflection on their service and people they impact, as well as a song led by student musicians and choral members.
"It's neat to see that we're making a contribution," said sophomore Bryce McDonnell of Arlington Heights, after his first day of working with his team at the vegetable garden tended by the Sisters of the Living Word. "It was cool to work with Sr. Barbara."
Senior Richard Rinka of Mount Prospect described the impact of his group's delivery of sandwiches they had made to clients served by Catholic Charities.
"We as a community can be a light of hope for people," he said. "Making sandwiches may not have seemed like much, but we are truly feeding the hungry."
Fr. Brost started the camp in 2013 as way to immerse students in the school's mission of service and social justice.
"Our intention was to let students directly serve those most in need in the local community," Fr. Brost added.
He now codirects the camp with Br. Peter Lamick, CSV, a 2007 graduate of Saint Viator, who offers a reflection each day to those in the camp.
"When we talk about taking up our cross," Br. Peter said, "we're talking about responding to people who are in need."