Five students from Warnervale’s MacKillop Catholic College have been recognised for their generosity and community spirit.
Jackson Lantry, Caleb Pantos, Ember-Rose Rutherford, Samuel Wolscher and Trinity Young were all recognised at Central Coast Council’s Australia Day Awards ceremony where they were all nominated for community service awards.
All members of the College’s JUMP (Josephites Undertaking Mission Projects) group that facilitates and delivers social justice and outreach projects around the school and in the local community, each nominee has completed 300 hours of community service through various means, such as volunteering at Coast Shelter at Gosford and The Oasis Centre at Wyong; raising money for various charities; supporting local neighbourhood centres; packing Christmas hampers for families in need; marching in support of White Ribbon; volunteering at nursing homes; and, packing Zonta birthing kits.
While none of the students actually received an award, MacKillop’s Leader of Outreach, Michelle Baxter, said the College community was incredibly proud of the group who’ve given so much for the benefit of others.
“We are so proud of our students for being nominated.
“All five students have been exemplary role models pioneering the JUMP program at our College since its inception in 2017.
“JUMP encourages our students to experience the gift of helping others and to develop skills and knowledge to be able to continue assisting those in need throughout their lives.
“Personally, it was very humbling to be in a room with so many giving people who dedicate many hours of their time, their homes, their love and truly live out Mary Mackillop’s quote ‘Never see a need without doing something about it,’” Baxter said.
Dilon Luke