St. Gregory’s hosts #HopeForAva
MARYVILLE, Mo. — St. Gregory’s School in Maryville is opening February with a full schedule comprising events planned in celebration of Catholic Schools Week Jan. 31-Feb. 5 and additional gatherings and fundraisers taking place in support of #HopeForAva, an effort to aid 14-month-old Ava Blackford, who has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
This year’s Catholic Schools Week focuses on the theme “Communities of Faith, Knowledge, and Service.” Activities include:
Sunday, Jan. 31 — A pancake meal by Chris Cakes will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the St. Gregory Barbarigo Catholic Church parish hall. The event is free, but donations to the St. Gregory’s Professional Development Fund for teachers will be accepted. An all-school Mass will begin at 10:30 a.m.
Monday, Feb. 1 — The school will host a prayer service at 8:15 a.m. in the gymnasium and begin the #HopeForAva awareness and fundraising effort.
Tuesday, Feb. 2 — Students will write letters of encouragement and send cards to area seminarians and priests.
Wednesday, Feb. 3 — Student Council members will celebrate faculty and staff with a lunch in their honor.
Thursday, Feb. 4 — Prayers will be offered for world peace.
Friday, Feb. 5 — An all-school Mass at 8 a.m. will be followed by a schoolwide spelling bee at 9:15 a.m. Other activities include preschool class parties, a visit to The Hangar cinemaplex for kindergarten through second-grade students; a bowling outing to Bearcat Lanes by third- and fourth-grade students; and a roller skating party for fifth- through eighth-grade students.
Ava Blackford is the infant daughter of Quent and Kari Blackford and the sister of a current St. Gregory’s student. Events scheduled to provide spiritual and financial aid for Ava and her family include:
All week — A schoolwide change war beginning Jan. 31. Students in each class will fill jars with currency to be donated to the Blackford family.
Monday, Feb. 1 — Students are allowed to wear pajamas to school in exchange for $1 donations.
Tuesday, Feb. 2 — K-8 students will participate in a basketball shoot-a-thon. Heart lollipops will be available for a $1 donation before and after school.
Wednesday, Feb. 3 — Students will write a special prayer at school for Ava and her family.
Thursday, Feb. 4 — Students are allowed to wear ball caps or hats to school in exchange for $1 donations.
Friday, Feb. 5 — St. Gregory’s families are invited to send a card to school with a prayer, a note of hope, a monetary donation, gift card, or any combination of the foregoing. The cards will be presented to the Blackford family along with money raised during the week.
