LINCOLN (SNR) – St. Teresa School in Lincoln participated in the annual diaper drive conducted by the Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (LDCCCW) in a big way this year: the small school collected 14,262 diapers toward the diocesan-wide goal of 90,000.
This is the 11th year the LDCCW has conducted an October diaper drive to benefit pregnancy centers in the Lincoln Diocese, and Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska.
St. Teresa School’s participation in the drive this year was spearheaded by the second grade class 2A.
“We worked on speech-making skills as we wrote, practiced, and performed (video format) speeches for each grade in school,” explained teacher Sister Mary Immaculata. “We enjoyed making posters as well as making intercom announcements each day. It was a big deal for second-graders!”
She said they also talked in class about the importance of making sacrifices of their time and abilities to promote the diaper drive. Through their sacrifices, the students learned, they are instruments of Jesus’ love as they help the mothers and babies who will receive the diapers.
She explained the expense of diapers and how many mothers don’t have the resources to buy diapers, and how assisting mothers with resources might help some choose to keep their babies.
They also made the collection a school-wide contest.
“In the week of the drive, competition between classes was intense!” she said.
Finally, on the last day of the drive, the third-floor classrooms combined all their donations to help the eighth grade win the contest, and the second-floor classes combined to help 2A finish as runner-up.
The prize for the winning class was to build a diaper “office” for principal Sister Mary Cecilia. She spent the morning working in her office of boxes in the gymnasium, while many students stopped by to take a look.
In the afternoon, the second and eighth graders joyfully filled a waiting truck from Catholic Social Services with diapers.
“You should’ve seen the exuberance!” she exclaimed.
Diaper donations may be dropped off at any diocesan parish – sizes 4, 5 and 6 are in greatest demand, and need has escalated this year during the pandemic. After Oct. 31, donated diapers will be shared with pregnancy centers, CSS, St. Gianna’s Homes, Birthright and Diaper Heaven.
Kay Wessel, who organizes the annual drive, said if the pandemic has donors hesitant to shop for diapers, they can simply make a cash donation and mail it to her at 3600 W. Wittstruck Rd, Martell, NE 68404. Checks should be made payable to Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (LDCCW).
St. Teresa School opened in 1930 and currently serves 246 students in grades pre-K through 8.
