St. Gemma students learn about service

Christian service is an earmark of Catholic schools, and principal Catherine Forder wanted to provide that opportunity for her students at St. Gemma Center for Children with Autism and Developmental Disabilities in Ellisville. Through a joint effort with Sister Anne Francioni, a School Sister of Notre Dame who is executive director of Whole Kids Outreach, Forder got her wish. And needy children in Southern Missouri will be having a happier Easter because of it. On March 16 the St. Gemma students stuffed Easter eggs for children served by Whole Kids Outreach, a faith-based charity in Southern Missouri. Forder explained, "Working with children with autism, I realized their knowledge of the world outside their own little box was something they didn’t seem to notice much. I wanted to change that, give them an idea that there are other things happening outside of what happens in your world every day." Along with that, Forder said, "I want my students to be aware that there are other people out there, and we can help them. That is part of our Catholic faith. Our children may be in special education, but they need to learn that lesson, too." The two organizations hooked up through Lynn Raney, development coordinator at Whole Kids Outreach, who has a relative attending St. Gemma. Sister Anne also has a long history with special education. Her aunt, Sister Lillian McCormack, also an SSND, "helped start the St. Louis Archdiocesan Department of Special Education." Through that connection Sister Anne came from her native New Orleans to St. Louis to work for a year st St. Mary’s Special School and joined the SSNDs here.