St. Anthony’s Dining Room: Weaving a Community Together

When I first visited St. Anthony’s, I immediately felt that it was communal environment. During lunch, I ate with the guests at the hall. Laughing and talking with them, I heard stories about San Francisco in the 60’s, when peace signs and tie-dye shirts were the fad, and a wild road trip from Colorado to California. When I returned back to my school to continue with the retreat, I knew I would never forget my St. Anthony’s experience.

Having a passion for filmmaking, I stumbled upon the White House Student Film Competition. I saw that the topic was about the Impact of Giving Back and I knew that St. Anthony’s would be the perfect topic. I headed down to the Dining Hall with my camera and was inspired by the different people I met, guests, staff, and volunteers.

I made this film not only for the competition, but to showcase all the different stories that make St. Anthony’s the special place that it is. I wanted to be able to document what I saw, a community and a family.

St. Ignatius student, Elizabeth Leong, shares her experience of volunteering in our Dining Room through a beautifully constructed video she created for a competition at the White House. Good luck, Elizabeth, and thank you for sharing!