Mangalore: St Mary's School Celebrates Joy of Sharing with Underprivileged
Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, Dec 20: St Mary’s English Higher Primary School, Falnir, celebrated a day of sharing on Thursday December 20 with 400 poor, differently-abled and street children of the city.
U T Khader, MLA, Sr Carmel Rita A C, vice-provincial, Karnataka province, Walter Stephen Mendes, MD, Western Institute of Technology, Fr Sunil G D’Souza, assistant parish priest, Milagres parish, Suresh Babu, corporator, Attavar ward, Shakuntala, assistant director, women and child welfare department, Tejaswini P Poonja, Hotel Poonja International, Alwyn Rosario, vice president, Milagres Church and Gerald Pinto, secretary, Milagres church were the chief guests.
All the guests were welcomed to the dais by students, accompanied by the school band. A prayer dance followed. Sr Silvian A C, headmistress, St Mary’s welcomed the gathering.
Addressing the gathering, U T Khader expressed his happiness on being part of the special event. "St Mary’s School has been putting in hard efforts to contribute to the society through special events like these," he said.
“DK district is a heaven for education, as compared to other states or districts of the nation. The Catholic Board and the Christian Educational institutions have played a major role in this. Such programmes not only focus on the physical, but also the intellectual development of the child," he added.
“Our nation will be stronger, if the students of today grow strong, and not by just MLA, MP, IAS and IPS officers getting strong”, he said. He further urged the parents and teachers to support their children to come up in life, as it will help them to achieve heights.
He even asked the parents to expose their children to useful programmes like those related to literature, conventions etc. and not just to malls and shopping centres.
In his message, Fr Sunil said that children have an optimistic approach and innocence with which relationships can be strengthened and developed. He urged every one to inculcate such virtues and support the children to develop the same.
Sr Carmel Rita said the education is not only learning the syllabus curriculum, but these sort of extra-curricular activities are very much required for the overall development of the child.
Skits, drama and dance by the students added colour to the event.
Sr Florine Pinto A C, joint secretary, Yogesh, PTA president, PTA members, parents, teachers, well-wishers and students from St Mary’s, and nearly 400 children from various other institutions and associations, namely, St Agnes Special School, Transit Home Bejai, Bal Yesu Nilaya Maryhill, Jeevan Dan Gurpur, Stella Maris Kotekar, Infant Mary’s Jeppu, Sneha Sadan Gurpur, Vidyajyothi Jyothinagar and Balikashram Kankanady were present.
Gifts were also offered to the 400 children who participated to mark the importance of the day 'Joy of Sharing'.