Imagine watching 1,800 boxes of cereal seamlessly topple over one by one down a long hallway, continue down two flights of stairs, go down another hallway, around a couple of poles, then down the aisle of a church before reaching the end -- at the front of the altar.
That’s the “domino effect” that happened Jan. 30 in St. Charles Borromeo School and was one that had positive results all the way around.
The Cinnaminson school began Catholic Schools Week by focusing on the theme of community and taking part in a service project aimed to help those who are food insecure.
Since early January, the students have been collecting boxes of cereal to donate to area food banks including Bread of Life, Oaks Integrated Care and the South Jersey Food Pantry. But before the 1,800 cereal boxes were packaged up and left the school, they were part of a “two-story domino challenge,” an internet project created to teach about the positive impact a food drive can have.
The project began on the second floor with students and staff lining up on either side of the long hallway and the boxes of cereal lined up in single file down the center. After counting down from five, cheers were let out as Father Dan Kirk, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, started off the domino challenge by pushing the first cereal box with his hand.
By watching the domino challenge, Father Kirk and school officials said it is the hope that students will realize the importance of community service and how each person can have a role in helping other people in need.