To help build their school, they wrapped and wrapped

IC Photo by Laura V. Sausedo

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A group of parents from Saint Marguerite wrapped gifts to collect money for their school.

TOOELE- A group of parents and administrators from Saint Marguerite Catholic School got together in order to collect donations for the school.

Marcella Burden, principal of Saint Marguerite, said that due to the fact of the financial situation the school is in need of donations.

"With the economic times the way they are we don't have any extra, so in order to do field trips, or to get some science equipment like microscopes, we need these fundraisers to do that," Burden said while she and some parents where installing a tent outside the local Walmart in Tooele for their fundraiser.

One year ago the school received a big donation of wrapping paper, which at the beginning was distributed among people in the parish, but they still had many rolls left so they decided to do a school project with it.

"We didn't know what to do with it last year; we gave it to people in the parish and then somebody had an idea, ‘You know, why don't we use it for gift wrapping for donations and see how it goes?,' so that's what we are doing," said Burden, pulling out wrapping paper from boxes.

Among the parents participating in the fundraiser were Christina Alton and Rachel Urby, who have kids in preschool and in fifth grade. Both were there helping to wrapped any gift or item that the people needed to be wrapped.

The location was selected because, as the principal said, "in Walmart we have better exposure."

Other projects happening in the school this winter season is a Sub for Santa, where some of the of the students pulled a tag from the parish Christmas tree and bought whatever the tag said for the kids in need.

They also have a Christmas Boutique, in which they sell a lot of religious items, as well as had a Breakfast with Santa for the students.

St. Marguerite Catholic School was opened in 1981 with 53 preschool students in a converted convent. The average class size is 15 students per grade.

It was opened under the direction of Msgr. John Sullivan. In 2005, under the direction of Father Matthew Wixted, permission to expand into the elementary grades was received. St. Marguerite now is raising funds to build a new facility that will support classes from pre-k to sixth grade with staff offices and an extended day program. The expansion is being directed by the current pastor, Father Hernándo Díaz.

As the only private school in Tooele County, St. Marguerite staff is looking forward to a larger facility where they can introduce Catholic values to more students and families.