In the News

St. Joseph Academy Student Volunteers Build Toy Boxes for Children Hospitalized at VBMC-Brownsville

BROWNSVILLE, Jan. 6, 2006  –   Four students at St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville have donated two toy boxes they have built to the Pediatrics Unit at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville.

The students -- Jesus Saldivar, Cristina Allala, Anita Santa-Coloma, and Luis Alejandro Rendon -- made the colorful toy boxes to brighten the days of children recovering from illness in the hospital. In addition, the high school seniors have been volunteering their time at VBMC-Brownsville as part of a class at St. Joseph Academy that encourages students to serve their community.

“The students have worked very hard all during the fall semester and have become very close with some of our long-term patients,” said Manuel Chacon, Volunteer Services Director for VBMC-Brownsville. “They decided to build the toy boxes as a way of giving even more of themselves to the VBMC-Brownsville volunteer program. These students have really gotten into the spirit of giving.”

The St. Joseph Academy students also donated toys to help fill the toy boxes for hospitalized children.  For more information on volunteer activities at the Brownsville hospital, please contact Manuel Chacon, Volunteer Services Director for VBMC-Brownsville; phone: (956) 698-4059.