Since 2010 has been such a tragic year for the country of Haiti, the sale of ornaments made by School of the Holy Childhood to benefit a Haitian charity has never been more necessary.
The country continues to cope with thousands of residents displaced during a devastating earthquake in January 2010, and residents are now dealing with hurricane-caused flooding and cholera, a serious waterborne disease that causes vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration.
The 2010 sale of ceramic Christmas ornaments made by School of the Holy Childhood will take place through New Year’s. The ornament designs being sold are two angels and three snowflakes, each which will sell for $6. School of the Holy Childhood, which teaches vocational skills to developmentally disabled children, earns the first $1.50 of each ornament sold.
Catholic parishes participating in the 2010 ornament sale are St. Louis in Pittsford, the Cathedral Community in Rochester and the Webster parishes of Holy Trinity, St. Rita, St. Paul and Holy Spirit.
During the past 29 years, School of the Holy Childhood has made more than 38,000 ceramic Christmas ornaments at the request of St. Louis Church’s World Hunger Task Force. During the first 10 years, the ornament sale financed a waterline project in Kaburnet, Kenya. Over the last 19 years, the Friends of the Orphans organization has been the main beneficiary; it finances the Our Little Brothers and Sisters Orphanage in Kenscoff and its St. Damien’s Hospital in Petionville, Haiti, which is the only free pediatric clinic in Haiti. The School Sisters of Notre Dame Learning Center in Rochester and HOPE Ministry in Webster also have received proceeds.
Ornaments will be sold in Pittsford at Hicks and McCarthy, Pittsford Farms Dairy, Pittsford Florist, and at Beads n’ Things and Pedestal Gifts in Northfield Commons; in Fairport at Lu’s Back Door, The Pie Lady and Lombardi’s Gourmet Imports; in Rochester at Parkleigh on Park Avenue, Wisteria on Culver Road, and Pendleton Shop and Scott Miller Salons on Monroe Avenue; in Canandaigua at Edelweiss Properties; in Greece at Rockcastle Florist; in Webster at Warren’s Paint and Decorating Center, the Goodie Shop and Chip Arnold’s Jewelers; and at the Legacy Retirement Communities. Additional retail locations also be added.
For details, visit www.stlouischurch.org/ornaments. St. Louis Church’s sale of ornaments will take place after Masses on the weekend of Dec. 4-5, and other participating churches have varied sale dates.
"This project is a labor of love, and that is why we call these ornaments (beautifully and uniquely different each year) gifts of love," said sale coordinator Marcia Mendola, the chair of St. Louis’ World Hunger Task Force.
Gifts of Love displays, where ornaments may be purchased, will be set up throughout the Rochester area.
Details about the Friends of the Orphans organization are at www.friendsoftheorphans.com.
