It was an accomplishment of faith and determination when Nativity School reopened in September. The 1994 earthquake had left the inner-city school badly damaged and it took major renovation work to replace the building's back wall. Unfortunately the construction costs left little money for library books.

Paul Harrington, a 1998 graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut who is spending the year at Nativity as a volunteer, was dismayed that the children would be missing an essential element of their education. Library books, he felt, would help their imaginations to soar and encourage their love of learning. A call back to his alma mater brought an immediate response. Carolyn Rusiackas, a chaplain at the Jesuit university, informed some students about the dilemma and before long the books started pouring in - some 2,400 books in all.

Sister Judy Flahavan, principal of Nativity School, was delighted as the cartons of books started arriving. She arranged for the students at Nativity to help unpack the cartons and find treasures of reading that appealed to them. Already volunteers have come forward to build bookshelves for the library.

For questions, please call Sister Judy at (323) 752-0720.

Posted On: 01-15-1999 09:01 AM

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