Students Send School Supplies To Iraq

08/30/2007
Students Send School Supplies To Iraq

Some Sioux Falls Catholic school students are reaching out halfway around the world, to help kids in Iraq.

Stacks of notebooks, piles of pencils, and crayons all lined up, ready to go to Iraq.

Students at Holy Spirit School in Sioux Falls listened attentively as the priest blessed the school supplies, because their work made this project happen.

"It's about helping kids that are just like us and they live in another country,” said 10-year-old Mary Motz. “They can't even get something as simple as a pencil."

Mary Motz is a 5th grader at Holy Spirit. Her brother, 24-year-old Christopher Motz, is behind the effort. He's a first lieutenant in the Marines, and is heading to Iraq September 13th. A fellow Marine *already overseas told him about the need for school supplies, and Motz got an idea. He called his mother.

"He said, 'Mom, it's not about sending money. They can't go to a local Wal-Mart and buy a pencil, they don't have access to any of those supplies,’" said Jan Motz.

So the kids bought as many things as they could, with the help of their parents. In one week's time, they collected all these supplies. Most of them don't realize what's really going on in Iraq, and that's okay... Jan Motz says as long as they understand that they're helping kids in need.

"Insurgents bombed their school, destroyed their school,” Jan Motz said. “But I want them to realize they are little kids, just like these guys."

And that lending a hand is something you should try to do whenever you can.

The students have collected plenty of supplies, but now the problem is shipping them to Iraq. Organizers say it's going to cost about $9 per package.

To help with the costs, you can send donations to Holy Spirit School, 4309 S. Bahnson Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57103, or call (605) 371-1481.

Katie Janssen

Ellie