High school Ateneans raise P76K for gift-giving campaign
In an effort to raise funds as part of a gift-giving drive, the Ateneo de Iloilo- Santa Maria Catholic School High School Department, spearheaded by its Student Council ended Monday, December 8, a four-day rummage sale yielding a whooping P75,938 in cash.
The student-initiated sale dubbed "The Grand AdI Rummage Sale, Baratillo for a Cause" was conceptualized for the purpose of helping the sick and the indigents of Iloilo Provincial Hospital and the people of Lapuz district, respectively.
AdI-SMCS High School SC President Jonathan Tagamolila considered this a "2 for 1 treat" as customers (students, teachers, staff, parents, helpers, and even residents of nearby barangays) were able to buy clothes, bags, toys, books and all other accessories, some used only once or twice, on "bagsak presyo" prices ranging from P5 to P100 on the first two days and going down to even P1 to P5 along the last minute of the sale.
"It was a rewarding feeling, many people looked very happy with what they were able to buy. The happiness in me is doubled for I know that many more people would find light this Christmas with our raised fund," Tagamolila said, adding, "we never expected this amount, the students in their respective sections really did a good job bringing goods generously even if some of them (goods) were really more than good enough to still make use of … all of us had one goal set in mind and it was to flesh out our love to our fellowmen through this form of service this season, and I think we did it pretty well—the Atenean way."
The event was also done in consonance with the AdI Grade School's "White Elephant Sale." Altogether, a conservative estimate of P120,000 had been collected over the four-day sale.
"We offer this to our school and to what our beloved school believed in—the Jesuit value of generosity, compassion, community, and being persons for others," Tagamolila added.
"Having been done in the school's gym and during lunch breaks (four hours all in all) since Wednesday last week, it is by far one of the biggest student-initiated fund-raisers conducted within Ateneo de Iloilo's walls," said Michel Guevara, SC moderator.
On the other hand, ABS-CBN's Tree of Hope formally kicked off in Ateneo de Iloilo Monday during the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Eucharistic celebration at the Santa Maria Parish. Aside from the students, teachers and administrators, also in attendance was ABS-CBN senior anchorperson Joebert Penaflorida who is likewise the school's Alumni Association president.
For his part, AdI-SMCS High School Outreach Coordinator Primo Escobanez said, "This is already our third year of working with ABS-CBN in raising funds for the benefit of the adopted indigents of the TV station in Iloilo City. This, for us, is a good way of giving our students the hands-on experience of the value of 'giving without counting the cost' and of 'working and asking not for rewards,' especially in the light of the Christmas season." For the past years, the students of AdI are actively joining in the actual gift-giving effort of the ABS-CBN usually set a week before Christmas.
To note, AdI-SMCS also had initiated a months-long national effort of collecting and distributing money and goods for the victims of Typhoon Frank all over Region 6. It had serviced more than 60 communities all over Panay Island alone.
Also, the only Jesuit school in Western Visayas is about to conclude its Golden Jubilee, themed "Celebrating the Ignatian tradition of love, service, and excellence" this December. It will wind up with the star-studded Big Blue Day (for students) and the Big Blue Night (for alumni) celebrations on December 17 and December 27, respectively, closing the street of Gen. Blanco just to accommodate the expected hundreds of Atenean-Santa Marian revellers.
The school is presently investing in the construction of its 7.5-hectare, P200-million worth new site at Brgy. San Rafael , Mandurriao, Iloilo City . Total completion of the whole Ateneo de Iloilo complex is estimated to happen in two to three year time. It targets to transfer its grade school department from the old to the new site in the latter part of the next school year./Ripples News Central