Patrick Metts, a co-worker from Atlanta, enjoying a moment with a young friend

Washington, D.C. December 12, 2007. High school students can do great things when they unite for a common ideal. The young men and young women who participate in the Leadership Training Program and who lead local Challenge clubs in the Washington area put together two Angel for a Day activities for inner city children with a wide array of activities, gifts, and special guests.

The first event, held at the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in downtown Baltimore, welcomed 150 kids from Baltimore’s inner city Catholic schools. Thirty youth from the high school served as volunteers, putting on skits about the true meaning of Christmas and give out over 400 gifts to parents in the “Secret Santa shop,” where parents could discreetly enter, pick out a gift for each child, and get it wrapped on site.

Fun activities for the kids included family photo ops in the live manger

	NFL Baltimore Ravens player Nick Greisen with some young charges.

scene, with a real donkey, goat, and sheep provided by Holy Rosary parish. There were inflatable moon bounces and carnival style games galore.

Special guests included Baltimore Ravens NFL player Nick Greisen, who signed autographs, played with the kids, and spoke about what Christmas means to him. St. Nicholas appeared on the scene to pass out bibles and candy canes.

Many of these special opportunities were provided thanks to the fundraising efforts of a high school team from Towson, MD, which raised $3,000 dollars for the activities.

On Saturday, December 15, the teams will put on a similar event at the Catholic University of America for over 400 kids from area schools. Auxiliary Bishop Holley from the diocese of Washington will visit, a pro-chastity high school girls’ choir called Best Friends will perform Christmas carols, and the day will end with a Marian rosary procession to the National Shrine.

Sometimes the success

	St. Nicholas brings joy and Bibles to kids.

of an event is measured by the little things. At the end of the day, as they were cleaning up, a woman came back in and asked if she could exchange a few of the gifts she had picked for something more age appropriate for her children. As they helping her, she said, “I just have to tell you guys what a great day this was for me. I just had my third child two weeks ago, and as a single mother I have been really down lately. Today really lifted me up. Thank you!”

That was all they needed to hear to know that the day was a success.

For more information about the Leadership Training Program in the Washington, DC area, contact Regional Director Danny Flynn at dflynn@missionnetwork.com.