Come rain or come shine, Prep students are willing to help a good cause. Cathedral Prep hosted its 11th annual Box Village on Friday, Nov. 17. From 6 p.m. on Friday to 8 a.m. on Saturday, students gave up their daily lives to raise awareness about those less fortunate within our community.
Throughout the night, students had no phones, ate only donated food, and spent the night outside in a village of tents and boxes.
Mrs. Grenci, Prep’s campus minister, thinks box village is great because it helps students become aware of things that are often take for granted.
“Some of the students were talking about how they didn’t feel 100% and felt like they were getting sick,” Mrs. Grenci said. “That awareness that someone who is homeless or impoverished might not have the support to get better right away is hopefully sinking in.”
This awareness reached Emily Dudenhoeffer, a junior here at Prep who participated in Box Village.
“Box village is important to me because it brings awareness to the homeless in Erie,” Emily said, “and we got to donate back to those in need with the donations that we received.”
Even with the rainy weather lasting throughout the night, Box Village was a success. Although smaller in numbers this year, the students there made the most of it.
“I think box village went well this year,” Emily said. “Everyone was together, and it was like we formed a little community.”
Mrs. Grenci shared a similar setiment, believing that the students will be more aware and understanding of those who are struggling within our community.
“I believe the students we had were great,” Mrs. Grenci said. “They embraced the experience snd raised over $550 to send to the Emmaus Ministries, who work with the needs in our community on a day-to-day basis.”
