Saint Mary School in Branford Chooses SMARD as its Lenten Service Project

Saint Mary School in Branford chooses SMARD as their Lenten Service Project by Fundraising and Wearing Green Ribbons at their Ash Wednesday Service.

At their Ash Wednesday Service, the students learned from their classmate Alessandra Habiniak about her 10 year old friend Hunter Pageau who has spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress, or SMARD, on the official day of SMARD, February 10th which fell on Ash Wednesday this year.

February 10th was legislated and designated as SMARD Awareness Day, by Gov. Dannel Malloy with the help of State Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, and State Representative David Yaccarino.

Upon learning about SMARD from her 4th grade student, Principal Sr. Annette D’Antonio, M.P.F., announced SMARD to be Saint Mary School’s Lenten Service Project. The school plans to fundraise and wear green ribbons that were distributed after their Ash Wednesday Service, in order to help raise awareness, ultimately contributing to Hunter’s trip to Italy for a possible cure.

To follow Hunter’s story, visit his Facebook community page: https://www.facebook.com/HOPEforHunterPageau.
Pictured: Saint Mary School student Alessandra Habiniak and Principal Sr. Annette D’Antonio, M.P.F.