Malvern Prep Shares Christmas Spirit with Children from St. Patrick’s in Norristown

Giving back is at the heart of the mission of Malvern Prep, and the School’s students, parents, teachers and alumni consistently seek ways to do good in our society. Malvern’s Christian Service program sends students across the globe to work with the world’s most vulnerable people, but most of the time, the Malvern community tries to make an impact closer to home. This year, the School learned that the St. Patrick Parish has many children in need this Christmas season. This parish is comprised of mostly Hispanic families, many of them migrant workers and many of them struggling to put food on the table, let alone put presents under a Christmas tree.

Larry Legner, Malvern’s Director of Christian Service, challenged the Malvern community to respond to these families in need, and did they ever. Malvern collected more than 1,250 toys and outfits, which were sorted by gender, age and size and shipped to St. Patrick’s to be distributed to their families. The School also collected gifts to fill Christmas stockings for 124 children in St. Pat’s First Communion Class. The children received these stockings at the School’s Christmas Party for them on Saturday, December 10. More than 100 student, parent and faculty volunteers from Malvern Prep and Notre Dame Academy staffed the party, which featured lunch, crafts, face painting, soccer and basketball games, swimming and fire engine rides, courtesy of the Norriton Fire Engine Company. Malvern’s Santa and his elf helpers were there to hear Christmas wishes and hand out the goodie-filled stockings.

“The parishioners from St. Pat’s are overwhelmed with thanks and blessings from God for what we have done to help them,” said Legner. “The Malvern Prep community is so giving, even for people they do not even know. I send my heartfelt thanks to those who donated something or volunteered at the party. It was a wonderful day.”

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