“It’s all so nice!” Sue Silverstein told me yesterday, “Such a good job on the furniture, and I love the two-tone pajamas. They are so cute with their Christmas ornaments.”

Sue sent me seven photos of her student’s holiday art and thanked the Army Of Good again for donating all the materials. All these works, including the furniture, were done with donations and discarded materials shipped to the school by you, the readers of my blog. None of this could have happened without your great heart.

Don’t listen to anyone who claims Americans are heartless and selfish.

Sue’s love for her work, students, and art is palpable and infectious. Just look at what she has done. Art programs nationwide are being canceled for lack of funds and upside-down priorities. The art program at Bishop Gibbons is roaring.

I can’t tell you how good it feels to see a blog used positively and meaningfully and to see so much enthusiasm from young people who are believed to care only about TikTok.

Sue has set the young artists in her program on fire with her great assignment ideas and openness to letting the students choose their work. None of these inventive works would be here without these donations of discarded materials, mostly rotting away in attics and garages.

Sue and her students will make art from almost anything.

Merry Christmas to the young artists and Sue, the angel: Send your discarded stuff to Sue Silverstein, Bishop Gibbons High School, 2600 Albany Street, Schenectady, New York, 12308. Thanks, and Merry Christmas to you all; you are all angels doing God’s work. Please send your donations in January; the school will be closed for two weeks. Great work, people.

A discarded desk comes back to life. This was beautifully restored.

Two-tone pajamas as a Christmas gift.

Christmas ornaments from discarded materials.

Tree ornaments from discarded materials.

This table is another excellent furniture restoration. It was rescued from the junk pile and rebuilt. It’s going to somebody’s home. Some art goes to the students, some to poorer people who need help, and some to grandmothers and grandfathers, siblings, and parents.