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Monday, March 6, kicks off Mission Drive Week, our annual international effort to remind us that O’Dowd is a part of a global community. We raise money and educate ourselves (and have fun doing it!) We intentionally do this during the season of Lent when helping others becomes a part of our preparation for Easter.
What is the focus?
The focus this year is on the international REFUGEE CRISIS!
This issue looms enormously in our world and has many causes, many worries, and many opinions about what can and should be done. But as a part of the global community, O’Dowd knows it is important to 1) educate ourselves and 2) respond to human suffering as best we can.
Because the refugee issue is so huge, we are focusing our funds on one aspect- people dying at sea while trying to fleeing across water.
The Organization we are supporting is MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station)which is relatively new (2014) and currently focused on helping people in the Mediterranean Sea. These refugees are fleeing for their lives – sometimes from war and sometimes from crushing economic situations – and crossing these seas is extremely dangerous. As you probably know, many people have drowned. MOAS tries to make sure they can reach land safely, because no one deserves to die at sea.
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What can we do?
For this week – support our Mission Drive!
All money raised goes to help MOAS* in their work to reach people who are vulnerable on the water to get safely to shore. Check them out! then send a check to school with your student. (Please forgive the pun, I couldn’t resist.)
If you wish to donate – please make checks out to Bishop O’Dowd High School and write “Mission Drive 2017” in the check memo. Give the check to your student to deposit in their class’ jar.) To count toward the class total, is – all donations need to be in by lunch time on Friday, March 10th.
Beyond donating, take time to look more deeply at the complex issues involved in the refugee crisis around our world. There are scores of committed organizations responding with immediate aid and working on long term support or political action. Get involved as you see fit.
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How does O’Dowd’s Mission Drive work?
This Charity drive is run as a class competition because it is fun for the students. Each morning, break time and lunch period there will be 5 big jars on the front steps of the school – one for each class and for faculty. Any change (coins) placed in a class jar will count positive for that class – and checks will count as change!
Our slogan: “All change is positive! and CHECKS are CHANGE!”
What is sabotage? If anyone feels one class is getting too far ahead, they can SABOTAGE the class by adding paper bills to that class’ jar. “All bills are sabotage” and count against a class’ total.
Sabotage is a way to encourage healthy competition while also raising money. A class who produces a lot of sabotage is also responsible for raising a lot more money! The sabotage is never mean spirited – we use it as a challenge for a class to “step it up” and we announce the sabotage amounts as a “badge of honor” for doing so well that you drew more sabotage.
If you wish to donate – please make checks out to Bishop O’Dowd High School and write “Mission Drive 2017” in the check memo. Give the check to your student to deposit in their class’ jar.) To count toward the class total, is – all donations need to be in by lunch time on Friday, March 10th.
So hey, It’s MISSION DRIVE WEEK! Come on out and have some fun – And you’ll learn about the refugee crisis and raise some money to help those on the front lines who are helping others in desperate need.