MOUNT OLIVE (12/16/05) – "The outpouring of generosity and love that permeated throughout the Mountain View School community touched us deeply, " was the way Principal Ronald C. Marina described the children and their family’s continued generosity toward Katrina flood victim children in Boudreaux Elementary School in Terrytown, La.

The community here, led by Stacy Delman, the school guidance counselor, said the children initiated a "Connection in Caring " partnership with Boudreaux immediately after the flood that has continued to the present day.

In their original efforts the concentration was on raising money which was matched by Commerce Bank. But, with the coming of the holidays it was agreed that the Mountain View community’s generosity could work both ways, for the flood victims and for the participating children here. School nurses Suzanne Herbst and Barbara Svercauski thought that was a great idea and joined with Delman to help with the project.


MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MOUNT OLIVE. Students in the Mountain View Elementary School here organized a "giving tree" collection of clothing, toys, shoes and other needed items for flood victim children in Louisianna. Standing with the packages they wrapped are the women coordinators, school nurses Barbara Svercauski, and Suzanne Herbst and the school's guidance counselor, Stacy Delman. The gentleman is an unidentified employee of Quest International which provided for the shipping of more than 400 items.


She said she heard about the effort the Boudreaux Elementary School children and staff were making in behalf of a neighboring school. Even though they were hard hit themselves by the devastating effects of the hurricane, they reached out to the students of nearby Terrytown School in Terrytown which had been completely destroyed. They opted to share their own remaining meager resources with them

Delman initiated the idea for a holiday "wish list " and asked Boudreaux to prepare a wish list. She coordinated with the school principal there and later with a social worker.

"It was a heart wrenching experience reading the children’s wish lists, " she said. "One child asked for a bed in which to sleep. Others asked for water, warm clothing and other essential items we tend to take for granted. Some children drew pictures of their favorite things.

"We wanted to extend the compassion of the children here to the children in need in Boudreaux School and to enrich our own children’s lives, " said Delman.

"One asked for a roof another for a case of water but mostly the need was for clothing and food.

"In Mountain View we responded by organizing a "Giving Tree " in which students, families and school staff were invited to purchase gifts. The gift givers established a personal connection with gift recipients by preparing their own brief biographies and asked for "wish lists " from the children they chose to sponsor. "

Many Mountain View parents organized shopping sprees with their children to further enhance the connection between the children of both schools. "The children were very involved in the gift purchasing, thinking about colors and sizes and many even giving up their own gifts. Parents reported that many items were purchased in stores that featured, "buy one, get one free. "

Local businesses and organizations joined in the holiday spirit by contributing to the effort. "This overwhelming display of compassion by the entire Mount Olive Community helped to provide clothing, shoes and toys for approximately 400 children, Delman said. . Quest International, located in the International Trade Zone, took care of the shipping costs and the employees selflessly sacrificed their lunch hours to box the gifts that, when finished, filled six oversized SUV vehicles.

In addition, Onyx Environmental Services of Flanders provided boxes and liners to make certain that the gifts would arrive safely and dry at their destination.

Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Temple Hatikvah also participated. In the temple it was agreed among the staff that rather than give holiday gifts to each other they would contribute what they would have spent to the Mountain View program.

"I was talking about it in the beauty parlor and one of the women who was there gave me a $20 bill, " Delman said.

In addition, Mt. View’s students are making holiday cards that will be sent in conjunction with the establishment of a year long pen pal relationship

"Our giving Tree initiative has touched the lives and brightened the spirits of the students of our adopted school, " she said. "In an era of mass media and commercialization of the holidays, the Mountain View community sincerely demonstrated that the true spirit of the season is in giving, not receiving. Said Delman.