Clean water for Uganda; one Western New York school's mission to help those in need

McIntyre was linked up with Father Emmanuel from the Kenyerere Parish in Uganda through a student's grandmother; and when Father Emmanuel came to visit last year, he began to explain the situations of the schools in Uganda

ALL NEW FOR YOUTHIS MORNING--STUDENTS HERE INWESTERN NEW YORKARE DOING THEIRBEST TO BE GOODNEIGHBORS--TO A COMMUNITYHALF A WORLD AWAY.JEFF SLAWSON TAKESUS INTO THECLASSROOM AT "SAINTPETER AND PAULSCHOOL" --THAT'S WORKING TOBRING FRESH WATERTO STUDENTS INUGANDA.FOR ART TEACHERMARY MCINTYRE -- STPETER AND PAULSCHOOL INWILLIAMSVILLE HASBECOME A MASSIVEPART OF HER LIFEAS A TEACHER IVEBEEN HERE 18 YEARSTHE ENVIRONMENT INHER CLASSROOM -AND THE ENTIREBUILDING IS ONECENTERED ON FAMILYWE REALLY TRY HARDTO BUILD A COMMUNITYATMOSPHERE HEREFOR THE KIDS.ITS A COMMUNITY --THAT'S NOT JUST INTHESE FOUR WALLS --IT STRETCHESTHOUSANDS OF MILES-- TO UGANDAWE NEED TO DOSOMETHING FOR THEMSO THAT'S WHAT WE'RETRYING TO DO.MCINTYRE WASLINKED UP WITHFATHER EMMANUELFROM THEKENYERERE PARISH INUGANDA THROUGH ASTUDENTS'GRANDMOTHER -- ANDWHEN FATHEREMMANUEL CAME TOVISIT LAST YEAR -- HEBEGAN TO EXPLAINTHE SITUATIONS OFTHE SCHOOLS INUGANDA --SO HE SAID WE NEEDWATER -- WE NEED AWATERWELL.FROM THATCONVERSATION --CAME THIS -- THE'WATER FOR UGANDA'PROJECT... WHERETHE STUDENTS OF STPETER AND PAULRAISE MONEY TOBRING CLEAN WATERTO AFRICAITS INTERNATIONAL ITSNOT JUST HELPINGOUR SCHOOL OR OURCOMMUNITY ITS OTHERCOMMUNITIES AS WELL.GABRIELLE ADAMCZYKIS AN 8TH GRADER ATST.

PETER AND PAUL --HER AND HERCLASSMATES HAVERAISED AT LEAST 1500DOLLARS AT THISPOINT.

MEANING --THIS UGANDA SCHOOLIS GETTING FRESHWATERTHESE KIDS WALKTHREE MILES TO GETWATER THAT'S NOTEVEN CLEAN.THE ENTIRE PROJECTHAS GIVEN THESEYOUNG STUDENTS ASENSE OFPERSPECTIVE ANDAPPRECIATION FORTHEIR LIVES.ITS REALLY AN EYEOPENING THINGBECAUSE ITSSOMETHING THATWEVE NEVER HAD TODEAL WITH.AND WITHA WEEK TOGO -- THE SCHOOLMET THEIR GOAL... SOINSTEAD OF PATTINGTHEMSELVES ON THEBACK -- THEY SETANOTHER ONE.I THINK WE'RE 800DOLLARS FROM ASECOND WELL.A SECOND WELL --COMPLETELYTRANSFORMING LIFEFOR STUDENTS THATNO ONE IN THIS ROOMHAS EVER MET -- ALLBECAUSE THEY FEELITS SOMETHING THEYJUST HAVE TO DO.I THINK IT JUST PUTS AWHOLE NEW FLAVORON WHY ARE WE HERE-- WHAT IS OUR JOB --AS FAR AS GIVING UPOUR TIME.RIGHT NOW --THE CLASS ISACCEPTINGDONATIONS TO BUILDTHE SECOND WELL.YOU CAN DROP OFFDONATIONS TO STPETER AND PAULCHURCH ON MAINSTREET INWILLIAMSVILLE.IF THEY DON'T REACHTHEIR GOAL --THE REST OF THEMONEY WILL GOTOWARD "WATERPIPES"--CONNECTING THEWELL THEY'VE"ALREADY" RAISEDMONEY FOR.IF THIS STORYSOUNDS FAMILIAR--IT'S BECAUSESTUDENTS ATANOTHER "LOCALCATHOLIC SCHOOL"--DID A SIMILARPROJECT INSEPTEMBER.REBECCATHORNBURGINTRODUCED US TOTHE SIXTH GRADECLASS--AT "SAINT GREGORYTHE GREAT" --WHO RAISED"ENOUGH MONEY"--TO BUILD A WELL FORA "VILLAGE" IN "SOUTHSUDAN."THEIR CLASS HASDONE PROJECTS LIKETHIS FOR TWO YEARS