Ursuline links
In summer 2011 we will have four Service projects: one in England and three in the USA. Each project is linked in some way with Ursuline Sisters and is helping people in need.
Wythenshawe
This is a suburb of Manchester. Our project here will be a Summer School for thirty 7-10 year olds in a poorer part of the town. Five students from three Ursuline schools will help to run the project which will last for a week at the end of July. Three Ursuline Sisters and two teachers from the Bruderhof Christian Community will be the leaders.
From Monday to Friday there will be a variety of activities for the children: academic, sports, craft and a day’s outing to a centre in the locality. This is a very challenging project as it’s the first time we have run a Summer camp in the UK.
Moscow, Idaho & San Francisco, California
These projects are further afield in the USA. There will also be Summer camps for Primary aged children. We have 6 Students going to Idaho and 8 to San Francisco from three Ursuline Schools.
The students will be accompanied by Ursuline Sisters and other adults. They’ll all stay with the Ursulines in the two cities. They will be joining existing projects so they don’t have sole responsibility. It will be exciting to go so far from home!
New Orleans, Louisiana
This is a totally different project. In New Orleans we’ll be helping to repair homes damaged by the 2005 hurricane Katrina. There are many people in the area called The 9th Ward who have not been able to return to their homes because they don’t have the funds needed to repair them. The St Bernard Project was set up four years ago to help these people. For the most part the project relies on the generosity of volunteers; people give their time and talents to make homes habitable.
We have 14 students from four Ursuline schools going on this project this year. In 2010 a group of University students and teachers worked on the same project. We’ll be staying with the Ursulines and the Christian Brothers.
If you would like to learn more about any of the projects get in touch with Sr. Kathleen at colmerk@aol.com.