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Brendan Kavanaugh stands in front of a derelict truck, carâ€" ried off by the storm surge and still waiting for recovery, in New Orleans, La. during his March Break mission to help those in the beleaguered city. After the presentation made by the school‘s custoâ€" dian, Brendan Kavanaugh who went on a mission of mercy to New Orleans, La., with a local church group during the March Break, Schell was still moved by When the slide show was over, Jenna Schell, 6, a Grade 1 student at the Waterloo‘ school, raised her hand and said, "That was really sad." he faces of all the chilâ€" I dren they helped flashed on the overâ€" head screen, but it was the pictures of destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina which really affected the children _ of _ Winston Churchill public school last Thursday. Winston Churchill students put smiles on the faces of homeless children in southern U.S. By Bos Vreanac Chronicle Staff â€" ns kc I â€" Ths!! It gave them a little something to callâ€"their own while they try to recover from the destruction of Sepâ€" tember‘s killer storm. If the pictures were any indication, the colourfully dccorated brown bags made a big difference with the kids of New Orleans who received them. those images. "It was so sad because all of their houses were torn down by the hurâ€" ricane," she said. But she was glad to do her little part to help. She along with the 215 other students at the school all individually decorated grab bags for the local volunteers to pass out during the relief effort. and they were encouraged to include a personal message to tell the children on the other end how much they cared. Kavanaugh helped origiâ€" nate the school‘s Sock it to Me fundraiser last year, which collects socks for the homeless who visit the local Out of the Cold during the winter months. The second annual event collected a record 411 pairs of socks this year, and the school received the heartfelt thanks of Out of the Cold organizer Mike Savage after last Thursday‘s presentation. "I just wanted to go down and help anyway I could," For Kavanaugh and the other 10 members of Waterâ€" loo Pentecostal Assembly who joined him on the 20â€" hour drive to New Orleans, and the weekâ€"long effort to improve the hurricane surâ€" vivor‘s plight, it was a life changing experience. And it was one he wantâ€" ed to share with the school community he has helped inspire in so many ways over the past few years. A child at one of the emergency food relief centres in New Orleans, La., is overjoyed to receive one of the grab bags made by students of Winston Churchill school. The bags were passed out during the March Break by the Waterloo school‘s custodian, Brendan Kavanaugh and a group of volunteers from his church, Waterloo Pentecostal Assembly. "That made me happy," said Schell about the effect her school‘s gift had with kids her own age. T The 11â€"person crew from the Waterloo Pentecostal Assembly helped some homeowners still recovering from Hurricane Katrina by cleaning out the contents of their stormâ€"damaged home. People are still waiting for basic help seven months after the disaster. said Kavanaugh, whose team handed out emerâ€" gency food rations, helped clean up destroyed homes and visited local school chilâ€" dren during his weekâ€"long visit. "You get so much in return because you meet really wonderful people, and just the feeling you get C Ee CCC CCC _ FREE HEADSET i$20.00 calue 565 King St. N. @ Northfield in GTO Gas Bar a www.qtwireless.ca 880+1477 "It‘s not in a very wealthy area, but they‘ve all got big hearts." "This is from children to children and it was so worth it," said Kavanaugh. "I‘m so privileged to work in this school. Kavanaugh said the effort was appreciated by all those they came in contact with. That‘s why he took so many pictures and put together a slide show to share that experience. . Kavanaugh. "! was just the delivery boy. "I just wanted to plant a seed of compassion and kindness, and if I could do that in the kids it was all worth it." s "I thought decorating the gift bags would be a great way of connecting the kids in Canada with the kids in New _ Orleans," _ said Kavanaugh. "I was just the Kavanaugh, who knows a lot of the children at the small school on Milford Avenue by their first name, said he was hoping the kids could make a connection to the disaster and develop a belief that they could help. from helping is overwhelm ing." TELUVS Mke &