The students and families of Our Lady of Lourdes School in Tujunga dedicated themselves in May to a goal of collecting 60 bags of clothing, shoes, toys and household items for Helping Hands for the Blind. Their dedication went above and beyond when 250 bags were loaded onto the huge Helping Hands truck.

Students learned that the goal of the HHB organization is to promote social, economic and educational opportunities for the blind. Helping Hands for the Blind has thrift stores throughout Southern California and the 250 bags will go to those stores with profits from the sale of the items funding HHB’s goals.

The items were collected after OLL students were sent home with blue HHB bags to fill with their unused and outgrown clothing, shoes or anything that might be useful. Early on the halls of OLL started looking cluttered as kids stacked the filled bags by the office entryway. As each day passed, the piles grew. By the end of the week the halls started to turn blue as the pile of bags spread across the entryway, down the hall towards the first grade classroom, past the teachers’ lounge and towards the fifth grade door.

“I could hardly get to my office!” said Cathy Ercek, the school’s office manager.

When the day came for the Helping Hands truck to drive onto the school playground, fifth graders were eager to help load the truck. Two-hundred-and-fifty bags later, the kids of Our Lady of Lourdes felt they helped out by showing good citizenship and caring.

Those who would like to learn more about Our Lady of Lourdes School in Tujunga can visit www.ourladyoflourdes.us.