Crayons for Kids drive helps families get ready for school

Chronicle Media
Collecting school supplies for the Crayons for Kids project are Marmion Campus Minister Mark Malkowski (Marmion ’08) at left and Mary Clare Koebel (Rosary '19) fourth from right, with volunteers from Marmion and Rosary at Jewel-Osco on Galena in Aurora. (Photo courtesy of Rosary H.S.)

Collecting school supplies for the Crayons for Kids project are Marmion Campus Minister Mark Malkowski (Marmion ’08) at left and Mary Clare Koebel (Rosary ’19) fourth from right, with volunteers from Marmion and Rosary at Jewel-Osco on Galena in Aurora. (Photo courtesy of Rosary H.S.)

This year’s Crayons for Kids school supply drive collected nearly 26,000 packages of supplies for children in the Fox Valley area.

More than 150 volunteers from Rosary High School and Marmion Academy, including students, parents, faculty, staff and alumni, collected supplies at 13 area Jewel-Osco stores over two weekends in July.

Jewel-Osco stores in Aurora, Batavia, Elburn, Elgin, Naperville, Oswego, St. Charles, Sugar Grove, and Yorkville participated in the event.

The collection benefits 73 schools and agencies in the Fox Valley/Naperville area, covering 11 communities.

The Crayons for Kids project, now in its 12th year,  is organized by Marmion Campus Minister Mark Malkowski (’08), and Rosary High School coordinators this year were Monica Zimmerman (’16) and Mary Clare Koebel (’19). Crayons for Kids was started by Brian Zimmerman (Marmion ’07).

“Crayons for Kids exemplifies what is at the core of the Marmion Academy and Rosary High School communities — answering the call to live out our faith in service to others, just as Christ did,” Mark Malkowski, Marmion’s Campus Minister, said.

“Our students, parents, faculty and staff members have given of their time year after year to provide supplies that many of us take for granted to those who could not otherwise afford them. Through this service, thousands of area school children are able to engage in a more well-rounded educational experience,”  Malkowski said.

Rosary High School is a Catholic, college-preparatory high school for young women located at 901 N. Edgelawn Drive in Aurora, and sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield.

Marmion Academy is a Catholic, Benedictine college preparatory high school for young men located at 1000 Butterfield Road in Aurora.

 

— Crayons for Kids drive helps families get ready for school —