Pupils raise funds for good cause

JACKSON - Pupils at the St. Aloysius School have reached out to help children who have cancer.

Eighth-grader Alaina Young said, "It all began with a social justice group meeting and ended with an idea that would benefit cancer patients everywhere. On Oct. 19 the students of St. Aloysius School celebrated Heavenly Hat Day."

Eighth-grader Courtney Wolf explained that Heavenly Hats is a nonprofit organization which provides hats to cancer patients all over the world.

Many patients lose their hair while undergoing treatment for cancer.

"This organization was started by a boy named Anthony Leanna who, while visiting his grandmother in the hospital, saw many patients without hair and decided to donate hats to them," Courtney explained. "This program spread nationwide and over 20,000 hats have since been donated."

In deciding to contribute to the effort, the St. Aloysius social justice group asked K-8 pupils to donate $1 for the privilege of wearing their favorite hat to school for a day.

"The hats that were worn were very creative," Alaina said. "Our principal, Ms. (Elizabeth) O'Connor, wore an alligator hat to symbolize the school's mascot, the Gator. Some of the other unique hats that were sighted that day included an army helmet, an American flag hat, a cat hat and a fuzzy heart hat."

Teachers also got into the spirit of the day, Courtney said.

"Sighted were both a tall smiley hat and a sun hat, worn by none other than Mrs. (Kathleen) Honan and Mrs. (Antoinette) McEwan, the moderators of the social justice group.

Alaina said St. Aloysius students raised more than $400 to send to the Heavenly Hats foundation.

"The social justice group is very proud to have sponsored this great event and hopes that they have made a positive impact on the lives of cancer patients," she said.