By Jack Sadler ‘21

As another Christmas season has come and gone, Chaminade High School prepared for the coming of Jesus by helping those who are less fortunate. During the Advent season, the students of Chaminade embraced the virtue of charity through another successful Christmas Toy Drive. The Chaminade family collected over 1,500 toys for boys and girls who otherwise would not have received gifts for Christmas.

For over thirty years, the toy drive at Chaminade has provided children on Long Island with something to look forward to when they wake up on Christmas morning. The drive is run by Chaminade’s General Student Organization (GSO), one of the largest clubs in the school and moderated by Mr. Gabriel Ramos ‘04, conducted this important charitable endeavor.  Just as the GSO has done in the past, many of our toys were delivered directly to Dryden Street School in Westbury, where there are distributed to many children in need. Also, this Christmas season, the toys were also given to St. Martha’s parish outreach in Uniondale and Toys for Tots, a U.S. Marine foundation. As stated on the Toys for Tots’ website, the purpose of their foundation is to “help bring the joy of Christmas and send a message of hope to America’s less fortunate children.” At Chaminade, contributing to this wonderful program fulfills one of our fundamental callings as Catholics: to give of ourselves . Chaminade’s President Bro. Thomas Cleary, S.M. ‘81 explained the program’s significance, saying, “Anytime we can help others in need and practice the Gospel message, it’s a win-win for everyone.”

Through the generous donations of Chaminade’s family, children across Long Island on Christmas morning are delighted to know that many others in their community thought about them. Whether the act of giving changes people’s lives or just brightens their day, the annual Christmas toy drive at Chaminade embodies the values of a Marianist school.