Fairmont Catholic Grade School students students, community walks for Ukraine

Apr. 9—FAIRMONT — Students, faculty and community members walked from St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church Friday through downtown to Veterans Square to show support for Ukrainian people and others around the world.

Officials at Fairmont Catholic School said Friday marked the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that students were able to hold a Prayer Walk.

"It's really important to live what you teach and to show what you think is important within ourselves as a Catholic school, but it's also important to show community," Joyce Evans, director of curriculum and instruction and interim school principal, said.

Students Conchetta Cook, Maddie Mikeu and Madison Burdette agreed with Evans. They said their focus was supporting the people of Ukraine and anyone else around the world who is suffering. They said the walk was successful and fun.

"We are a Catholic school, so I feel we should be involved in the community and do more," Cook said.

"We should be able to set a good example for how to show peace in the world," Burdette said.

The march began at 12:30 p.m. and ended around 1 p.m., due to rain. Participants, city officials and community members were invited back to St. Peter's Church to listen to speeches from Father Joe Konikattil and Fairmont Catholic School teachers, one of whom shared experiences of living in Ukraine for two years. Students performed songs and prayers for Ukraine and others who are suffering.

The idea for the walk has been around for years, but in the almost two years Evans has worked at the school, they have been able to do very little community events because of the pandemic.

"The idea is always there, but it's more specific because there is war. When there is war, there's sadness, grief and loss of life and so many things to pray for... It's also such a learning experience for these young people to know they are like us — they cry, their heart hurts, they have the same experiences," Evans said.

Explaining the reason of the walk to the younger students was a priority, Evans said. Students learned about how many Ukrainian people, including children, have lost everything they owned, such as their toys, to illustrate in full the severity of the war's toll on families.

Preparation for the walk took three weeks. Students made T — shirts and sunflower corsages, which is the national flower of Ukraine, 7th grader Sophia Burnside said.

"Fairmont Catholic is about giving, helping, serving — the things they will take with them in life. So, the idea came because it was the right time to do it," Evans said.

There are other easy ways to show support for Ukraine, though, Evans said.

"It's important, especially in prayer, because we can't be there. We can support our government, other countries and NATO in giving aid and help and I know that many people know how prayers are heard. God is there and we want him to help," Evans said.

Reach me at sshriver@timeswv.com or 304-367-2549.