On Monday, December 20th, twenty-two Old Orchard Junior High School Student Leaders gave up their first day of vacation to help at the Misericordia Home on the north side of Chicago. Misericordia is home to over 500 mentally disabled adults and children. It is a community where residents have opportunities to learn, work and live together.
We learned
of the need for help from Mr. Jerry Turry.
Mr.
Turry is
a world famous retired educator and cyclist who now sells
boxes like the one he is holding. Mr. Bodi and Dr. Rankin, a
couple of his neighbors, also joined the Student Leaders for
a day.
When we arrived we were treated to a special program put on by the Heartbreakers, who are all residents of Misericordia.
Our first assigned task was to finish making cookies for holiday sales. First the baker, Lisa Hoffman, showed students what to do, and then we formed trays and trays of delicious cookies!
Bakers for a
day!
We all had hats, gloves and aprons!
Our second project, which was started before lunch and continued after, was to put baked goods packaging away until next year. Students also took inventory and then took boxes to to the attic to be stored until next Christmas.
A few lucky Student Leaders were asked to clean cookie racks in the bakery!
Misericordia treated everyone for lunch and cookies!
A highlight for everyone was a tour of the Misericordia facilities. We were able to see residents working at various art and craft projects, as well as working in the kitchen and bakery.
The bakery!
Some of the holiday items available for sale and also made by residents.
Attention
Student Leaders!
Send me your thoughts about this trip and I will include
them in an update of this page!
We ended the day with a visit to the gift shop and then it was back home start our vacation. Special thanks to Mrs. Weiss for helping to supervise the group!
To find out more about Misericordia Heart of Mercy, click here and you will be taken to misericordia.org.