Viewpoints
OLM students collect stuffed animals for Afghani children

WINSTON-SALEM — January's "Animals for Afghanistan" drive, coordinated by Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School's Helping Hands of Mercy group, netted a collection of 262 new and gently used stuffed animals.
The furry critters will be sent to US soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan to be shared with children there. A Mercy parent and physician who has served in Afghanistan helped the student leaders locate a military group who will use the animals in their work with the families and children there.
All classes participated in the drive and the students at Mercy are pleased that their well loved "pets" will be bring joy and comfort to a child on another continent.
Helping Hands of Mercy is a school-wide service organization at Our Lady of Mercy whose focus is "children helping children."
The group conducts a monthly drive or collection to help children in the local community or elsewhere in the world. The leadership team is made up of middle school volunteers who meet during their lunch period on a regular basis throughout the year.
Pictured: Members of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School's Helping Hands of Mercy group pose with the 262 stuffed animals the students collected during their Animals for Afghanistan drive. The animals are being shipped to US troops stationed in Afghanistan who give them to Afghani children and families they work with. (Photo provided by Lara Davenport)
—Lara Davenport, Special to the Catholic News Herald
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