The St. Patrick Church high-school youth group LEGACY (Living Eternally Grateful As Catholic Youth) participating in a 30-hour "famine" this weekend to raise money for the feeding program at the church’s sister parish, St. Thérèse in Lilavois, Haiti.
On Friday, 31 teens from Canton, Burlington and New Hartford gathered at St. Patrick to begin the fast.
That evening the youth set up a cardboard city and spent the night outside.
"The kids are getting together to show solidarity for the homeless and hungry," said Joe Gurtowsky, the parish council president who also works with LEGACY.
For the past 10 years, St. Patrick Parish has had an on-going relationship with St. Thérèse — providing resources for school and parish improvements, scholarships, and a feeding program for the students. Gurtowsky said the students also realize there are people who struggle right at home.
To that end the teens also participated in weekend service projects including assisting the Canton Lions Club in an effort to put together meals for local food banks, cleaning up portions of the Farmington River Trail and helping a local family facing a challenging time.
The fast ended with the Vigil Mass on Saturday.
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