Students at St. Mary’s Catholic School recently helped out their fellow neighbor, the Christian Service Center of Niles, with a food drive that concluded Friday.

“It was a huge success,” said Principal Sharon Gregorski. “I would think from our little school of 100 students, we probably had five grocery carts full and we still have food coming in. It was a grand success.”

Students brought in various food items for the food drive, coordinated by day, and classrooms competed to win an ice cream party.

The response was so good, Gregorski said, they decided to hold an ice cream party for the whole school.

“The food was blessed,” she said, as were “the people who were to receive it.”

The school will hold another food drive after the new year around Valentine’s Day, Gregorski said, when the food pantry is “at bare minimum,” having distributed most of its food for the holiday season.

Holding the drives are a benefit not only for those in need but also as an important lesson to the students in giving back to the community and helping those who face a holiday season with little food to put on the table.

And the evidence of that lesson could be seen.

“Just the pure joy to watch these little ones coming in in the morning, tugging things many, many times and just to see them smile and the eyes light up,” Gregorski said. “That they were giving of themselves too and see that joy.”

The principal added she hopes those who receive aid from the Christian Service Center “can find some joy in that (the food) was given with so much love.”