A SEA of orange enveloped St Peter’s School, Caboolture, as the community banded together to raise funds for Orange Sky Laundry.
Assistant principal for religious education Anna Shaw said students and staff at St Peter’s were no strangers to reaching out to those in need.
Ms Shaw said the community watched a video about the Orange Sky Laundry charity and realised there were many homeless people who needed help.
She said principal Peter Surawski set the 676 students a challenge to raise $1000 to donate to Orange Sky Laundry through a Gold-Coin Day.
“The community went beyond expectations,” she said.
The students raised $2000 and the school’s Parents’ and Friends’ Association came on board and matched their efforts with another $2000 for a total of $4000.
Mr Surawski said it was a phenomenal effort by the students and the parents.
“Not surprising though given how ‘connected’ our community has become to this wonderful cause,” he said.
“Clearly this initiative has struck a chord with the students, staff and parents of St Peter’s.”
Mr Surawski said St Peter’s students were reminded of St Mary MacKillop’s message of “Never see a need without doing something about it” every day.
“Lucas and Nick, both students from Brisbane Catholic schools, are living out that message and are changing the world – one load of washing at a time,” he said.
“Our students have been inspired and they too want to make a difference.
“Not only have they made a difference through supporting Orange Sky Laundry, they can now see that they have the power and opportunity to be the difference they want to make in this world.”
P and F Association vice-president David Easton said he heard about the charity during Catholic Education Week celebrations and took his idea to the next P and F meeting, where he asked the group what they could do to support such a cause.
“When the students and staff decided on the Gold-Coin Day, we thought that we would match what the school raised, never realising that they would raise $2000,” he said.
“I’d like to put out the challenge to other P and F groups to do the same.”
