WINSTON-SALEM — St. Leo the Great Parish and School have been busy living out Bishop Peter Jugis’ call to give back to the community with acts of charity in celebration of the Diocese of Charlotte’s 50th anniversary in 2022.
At the beginning of this year, students and staff at St. Leo School collected a variety of tasty snack foods to create “snack baskets” that were then presented to local police and fire departments. These thoughtful gifts were a meaningful gesture to show gratitude to first responders who serve the Winston-Salem community.
In January, the school raised money for the Triangle Flights of Honor, a nonprofit that provides veterans with the opportunity to see the monuments and memorials in our nation’s capital. Thanks to the St. Leo community’s hard work, they raised enough money to send two World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. This free trip included a special visit to the National World War II Memorial, which was dedicated in their honor.
In anticipation of an increased need for emergency food assistance during the Easter holiday, the school held a two-week food drive to support Catholic Charities’ food pantry in Winston-Salem. Their generosity ensured that many of their neighbors in need enjoyed delicious meals as they celebrated Easter.
Continuing the parish-wide efforts, St. Leo Parish’s Youth Ministry volunteered for a week over the summer to help deliver meals to the homebound in partnership with Meals on Wheels. This dedicated group provided 50 hours of service. The youth shared that they enjoyed meeting and visiting with many nice people and their pets during their deliveries.
We sincerely thank the entire St. Leo community for its creativity, care and enthusiasm for helping others – both with these projects, as well as additional projects the parish and school community have planned for the rest of the year to improve the lives of others.
— Virginia Garramone. Photos provided by Mary Beth Young.
