Matt Kwiatkowski (left) and Father Fred Betti, SJ, work as members of One Jesuit Buffalo Alumni. (Courtesy of Father Fred Betti, SJ)

Armed with floor scrubbers, mops, gallons of soapy water, window cleaner and rolls of paper towels, members of One Jesuit Buffalo Alumni spent two days insuring that students at St. Monica School would have a bright campus when they began classes in September. Thirty volunteers from the Jesuit alumni group participated in the service project for the young women's campus of NativityMiguel Middle School of Buffalo, located in St. Lawrence Parish.

Dan Blake and John Tomczak coordinated the extensive cleaning plan with Nancy Langer, president of NativityMiguel, with a special focus on the more challenging jobs such as floor refinishing. Supporters of the OJB project generously donated equipment and supplies for the school.

Volunteers gathered early on the morning of Aug. 26 for a tailgate breakfast, followed by a prayer service with an Ignatian Examen led by Father Fred Betti, SJ, of St. Michael Jesuit Church. Classrooms, halls, staircases and the student commons were all given a thorough makeover by the bucket brigades of cheerful workers. Volunteers who scrubbed to the finale enjoyed lunch to close the day.

The service group was made up of a very diverse range of ages, school affiliations and careers. OJB also has an international connection with the membership of Viktor Polya, an alumnus of St. Ignatius College in Budapest, Hungary, who is studying in Western New York.

One Jesuit Buffalo was formed in 2016 to unite the many alumni of Jesuit schools and their families living in the region. Their focus is to offer programs of Ignatian spiritual formation, community service projects and social events to foster unity and communication.

For more information, check OneJesuitBuffalo on Facebook.