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Community Service

The Power of Serving Others

We believe that, as a Canterbury student, you should commit yourself to returning the good fortune in your life to those in need.

To that end, we seek to instill in you a sense of responsibility for, and dedication to, a lifetime of volunteer service, whether that be locally, nationally, or internationally.

While community service is not a requirement at Canterbury, the vast majority of students choose to participate, often alongside our faculty. You can volunteer in food banks, nursing homes, social service agencies, and animal shelters or work with disadvantaged families, students in local schools, and athletes in the Special Olympics. You can also take part in two exceptional experiences abroad—one in Nicaragua, where you work on projects designed to help break the cycle of poverty, and another in Lourdes, France, where you assist the visiting sick in completing their pilgrimage to the Marian shrine.

Service Opportunities

Here is just a sampling of the many chances you’ll have to help others while at Canterbury:

“Even if we did not speak the same language, when we gifted one of our handmade rosaries or simply exchanged a smile with someone, those moments shared with strangers in Lourdes were unlike any other. We also became closer with each other and reflected on who we are as individuals.”

Sylvia Pinheiro ’24

Community Service Events

Hockey Fights Cancer a Winning Event for Canterbury
Hockey Fights Cancer a Winning Event for Canterbury

For one extraordinary weekend in February, our Saints Hockey teams not only came to play—they came to raise dollars and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer. By the time both games concluded and gifts were tallied, Canterbury had raised more than $3,000 for Hockey Fights Cancer!

Canterbury Student Earns Presidential Honor for Service
Canterbury Student Earns Presidential Honor for Service

When you receive a letter on White House stationery acknowledging your volunteer service, you must be performing meaningful work for your community. That is exactly what Maeve Prendergast ’27 has been doing and why she received The President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award.

Walking Tall for a Cause
Walking Tall for a Cause

Safe Walk 2024 was another prime example of our Saints community stepping up in a big way to support The Center for Empowerment & Education (CEE). Hosted in Hamilton Stadium by Women of Canterbury, the annual fundraising event featured various creative ways for attendees to walk laps around the track—arm-in-arm, conga lines, and more—while wearing light-up glasses and glow sticks.

Saints Go All Out for Pink Out
Saints Go All Out for Pink Out

At Pink Out, the only thing more impressive than the enthusiastic sea of pink in the Pigott Arena stands was the significance of the cause it was supporting. The annual event run by the Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team was once again a smashing success. 

Fourth Form Emphasizes Service at Retreat
Fourth Form Emphasizes Service at Retreat

Our Saints were on a roll at their Fourth Form Retreat, preparing more than 150 sandwiches— each with a handwritten note attached—for delivery to the Dorothy Day Hospitality House in Danbury, Connecticut. They also took time to reflect on what it means to serve others.

Students Step Up for the Community
Students Step Up for the Community

Our Saints picked a great day to go for a walk—and a wonderful cause to walk for—when they participated in Walk a Mile for a Meal to benefit the New Milford Food Bank on September 22.

Students at a community service event.