Blue Jays Show the Spirit of Thanksgiving Through a Timeless Tradition

Posted November 27, 2013 / Last updated December 4, 2013

Upon entering Jesuit High School, each Blue Jay learns the Prayer for Generosity, written by St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. As students learn the prayer, they reflect upon Ignatius’ request “to give and not to count the cost…”

This line in particular embodies one of the school’s greatest, most meaningful traditions — the Thanksgiving Drive. The drive is an opportunity for Blue Jays to embody the humble service that God calls each individual to perform. Through the Thanksgiving Drive, and other service occasions, Blue Jays learn to be men of faith and men for others.

Basket Preparation and Delivery

Freshmen Nikhi Gogineni and Trey Hoard work together to move a Thanksgiving basket to the delivery car.

This year’s drive began before 6 a.m. at Robért Fresh Market. Students and faculty met there to purchase the perishable goods needed to complete the baskets. Many Blue Jays collected non-perishable items for one month prior to the drive.

After shopping, students and faculty members return to campus to begin organizing and packing their boxes for delivery. Each homeroom prepared three or more baskets for delivery. Several clubs, athletic teams, and organizations also got together to prepare additional baskets. Alumni, led by the Class of 1983, also assist by providing one turkey for each basket. Some individual classes also provide baskets of their own. Many alumni and their families, with the help of the Alumni Association, came to campus Tuesday night to help pack boxes for needy families throughout the metro area.

At 8 a.m., the school community gathered in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs for the Thanksgiving prayer service. Senior Chris Fasone spoke to the student body how participating in the Thanksgiving drive has affected him. Mr. Taylor Bacques ’09, Alumni Service Corps member and assistant Cross Country coach, also spoke to the group of students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni gathered in the chapel. Afterwards, the crowd left the chapel and took off in all directions across the city to deliver more than 400 baskets to the homes of those who would not otherwise enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.

The annual Thanksgiving Drive has been conducted by the students of Jesuit since 1927, and possibly earlier, when the Sodality placed boxes in each classroom for the collection of food items for the city’s poor.

Today it is organized and executed by the students under the guidance of Kevin Murphy ’00, director of the school’s Service Projects Program. Many alumni return to their alma mater each year and join current students in this timeless tradition.

Thanksgiving Day Mass

The entire Jesuit community is invited to celebrate Mass Thanksgiving Day at 10 a.m. in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs

Videos

Galleries

2013 Thanksgiving Drive, Nov. 27, 2013

These early birds from Homeroom 1204 already finished shopping and are packing their car by 6:15 a.m.
Freshmen Noah Wilkins and Stephen Browning search for more items to add to their grocery cart.
Freshmen Nathan Farley and Palmer Montalbano cross a few more items off their shopping list.
Juniors Will Arnold and Daniel Edmund grab some garlic to add to their basket.
Mrs. Meg Jennings and Mr. Nick Nolfe's homeroom shops together as a group to gather items for their food baskets.
Ms. Stephanie Cutrer and her daughter, Ursuline junior Christie Cutrer, and Ms. Marylyn Andrée shop for items to put in the staff Thanksgiving baskets. Each year Jesuit staff members put together two boxes the drive. Stephanie and Marylyn lead the drive by organizing the non-perishable items and shopping for the perishable items.
Pre-freshmen John Nuttli, Will Shropshire, and Christian de Gracia wait patiently in line to checkout.
Mr. Graham Jarrott's pre-freshman homeroom also waits in the checkout line. From left: Michael Ingram, Robert Cerise, Mr. Jarrott, Ricky Starr, Clayton Merwin, and Tanner Booth.
Junior Daniel Augustin loads his homeroom's grocery bags into the cart.
Seniors Cullen Walsh and Kevin Yokum help bag their groceries.
Meanwhile, in the parking lot, Blake Parenton helps load groceries in preparation to head back to campus.
Freshmen Guy Cresson and Connor LeBlanc check their list to make sure they have everything.
Jesuit High School thanks the Robért family and Robért Fresh Market for opening their doors to Blue Jays during the annual Thanksgiving Drive. While shopping, students were treated to a discount and a hot breakfast courtesy of the Robért family. From left: The Robért family — Marc '04, Marcelle Robért Connick, Darlene, Matthieu, and Marc.
Junior Cameron Guernsey is excited to get back to campus to pack the Thanksgiving baskets.
Junior Will Arnold loads one more box into the back of the car.
Back on campus, junior Jarod Cyprus sorts through the groceries purchased this morning.
In Ms. Kate Arthurs-Godlberg's homeroom, students each donated $5 to put a feather on the turkey poster on the wall.
Pre-freshmen Charles Lobrano and Henry McAloon check their Thanksgiving groceries.
Sophomores Michael Hickey, Robert Weiss, Reginald Jackson, Gray Cressy, Mark Beebe, and Cole Grieshaber with their Thanksgiving basket
Freshman Michael Haupt and Ms. Andrea Mika pack their homeroom's Thanksgiving baskets.
Freshmen Nate Fulham, Case Ellis, and Tre Perret carry baskets to a car for delivery.
Seniors Jason Crumb, Arman Alizadeh, Max Perret, and Collin Roy load Thanksgiving baskets in a car.
Junior Josh Hudak waits his turn behind juniors Matthew Junot and Glenn Lorio to load baskets in a car.
Freshmen Nikhil Gogineni and Trey Hoard
Freshman Michael LaForge packs baskets into the back of a truck.
Mr. Gino Giambelluca and prefreshmen Andrew Gruntz, Austin Carter, and Cameron Dimaggio
After a morning of food shopping and packing, students, faculty and staff gather in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs for the annual Thanksgiving Drive prayer service.
Senior John Guerra shares his musical talents with the choir and congregation.
From left, MCJROTC cadets Garrett Wolff, Matt Suberville, and John Grieco present the colors.
Seniors Stanley Dai and Gus Cannon follow with the Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam and Men for Others banners.
School chaplain Fr. Don Saunders, S.J. opens the service with a prayer.
Senior Conway Bellone reads from the Old Testament.
Senior Chris Fasone reflects on the meaning of Jesuit's Thanksgiving Drive.
Senior Brandon Myers reads from the New Testament.
Senior Evan Fitzpatrick moderates the program.
Blue Jay alumnus and Alumni Service Corps member Taylor Bacques '09 offers his Thanksgiving Drive reflections.
Senior Grady Burnett leads the Prayers of the Faithful.
The Jesuit choir, led by Mrs. Kate Arthurs-Goldberg
Service projects director Mr. Kevin Murphy '00 concludes the service by offering his thanks to all those who made the 2013 Thanksgiving Drive possible including currents students, their homeroom teachers, Jesuit alumni, Mrs. Helen Swan, who led the drive until she became director of student affairs this year, and the Class of 1983, which provides all of the turkeys for the drive.
After prayer service, the Jesuit school community coordinates the delivery of Thanksgiving baskets to families around the city. From the offices at Jesuit, Tom Bagwill, Kathy Juhas, Peter Kernion, Cameron Juhas (Kathy's grandson), and Malcolm Villarrubia deliver a basket.
Blue Jay alumni help carry Thanksgiving dinners to cars: (From left) Brad Hoerner '10 and from the class of 2007, Ron Barrios, Mark Johnson, Ian Hoerner, Chris Johnson, William Stout, Jeff Schott, Connor Deegan, and Phil Sampognaro.
Senior Eric Hartupee inspects a carton of eggs before putting it in the car.
Delivering a basket to this family are Brennan Campos and Blue Jays pre-freshman Collin Wood, sophomore Zachary Huck, Jacob Campos '13, and Mr. D.J. Galiano '07.
Eric Derbes '83 pushes a cart full of groceries out of the courtyard ...
... to take a basket to a family's car.
Alumnus John Laughlin '80 carts out a basket to a family's car.
The students in the National Honor Society deliver a basket to a thankful family.
The Spanish Honor Society delivers two baskets to neighboring families.
Alumnus Travis Noto '12 with seniors Liam Fitzgerald and Jim Huang delivering a Thanksgiving basket.
NHS seniors deliver a basket to a very grateful family.
Upon delivering this basket, juniors are greated by a very thankful family.
Mrs. Meg Jennings and Mr. Nick Nolfe's homeroom makes a home delivery.