SS. Peter & Paul School collects coins for Kevin Guest House

SS. Peter & Paul School has accepted the challenge. From now until the Monday after Easter, the Williamsville elementary school will collect coins for the Kevin Guest House.

The Adopt-A-Room Challenge allows SS. Peter & Paul School to sponsor a room at the Kevin Guest House, providing a “home away from home” for families traveling to Western New York for critical medical care.

The Kevin Guest House is America’s first independent health care hospitality house. For 50 years, it has provided comfortable and supportive housing for patients and families traveling to Buffalo to receive state of the art health care. $1,500 covers the annual cost of one room that is used by families who are in Buffalo receiving medical treatment.

The house was founded in 1972 by Cyril & Claudia Garvey of Sharon, Pennsylvania. While at Roswell Park Cancer Institute for their son Kevin’s leukemia treatment, they saw other families sleeping in hospital chairs and cars because they could not afford a hotel. The Garvey’s were inspired to help give support and dignity to families in medical crisis.

“I love the concept that it’s children helping children,” said Mary McIntyre, art teacher at SS. Peter & Paul School, who organized the collection. “We’ve already had kids who have had cancer in our building and we’ve done fundraising for the hospitals. The kids are very receptive to the idea of kids helping kids.”

McIntyre admits she has a personal interest in the project. Her husband sits on Kevin Guest House board and both he and Mary are cancer survivors.

 “I do try to put back into the community for what we already dealt with,” she said.

While speaking to the parish’s St. Ann’s Sodality organization about the project, the women’s group voted to buy a room as well. A plaque on the room will carry the name of the school and St. Ann’s Sodality.

Now working on a second room, the school has collected $700 in coins.

“We’re moving along. We got people donating. Our student council said they would donate some money too,” McIntyre said, adding they also welcome donations of personal care items for the guests during their stay.

“Being a Catholic school, we talk a lot about giving up your quarters, giving up your pennies,” McIntyre explained. “You see kids walk by and instead of buying a snack, they’ll put the snack money in the jars for donations. It’s really precious to see what they’re giving up.”

Currently, as the donation thermometer rises, the school is planning a date to present the Kevin Guest House with a check and the supplies.