Mercy.  Human Dignity.  Option for the Poor.  Justice.  Service.

These five Mercy values are displayed on posters and banners throughout Mercy; however, how often do students apply these values to their daily lives?

A group of Mercy students recently took the initiative to make change and to reach out to students in need across the globe. Inspired by the value of service, Alex Sobczak, Christina Miracle, Paige Spender, Maddy Flyte, Kelly Janke, Amy Kravutske, and Summit Dempster sought a way to make the concept a reality.

The girls helped organize and run a charity dodgeball event, “Dodge for A Cause”, at Groves High School. The girls teamed up with Bands that Jam for Africa, an organization that holds charity concerts to benefit children in Africa, to put together the fundraiser. The proceeds of the dodgeball tournament will be sent through BTJFA to help feed and educate kids in South Africa for a year. A total of 15 teams played in the tournament and it was said to be a success by many that attended.

“I just went there to watch and it was a really fun atmosphere, and it was really cool to know that this was going to such a great cause,” said junior Carly Bartes.

The girls who helped make the event possible put in many hours and held numerous meetings on early school mornings to make sure everything would go as planned.

“When I saw everyone come in the doors it was such a great feeling because of all the hard work we put in to make the day possible,” said junior Maddy Flyte.

Overall, the event raised $2,000 and will help 40 children in South Africa.

“Some people called this [event] a dream. But I view it more as a calling by God to bring Him into a community to give hope and a purpose to some, while bringing clean fun to others and saving real humans with names, faces, and stories that we have never met,” said junior Christina Miracle.