RIVER FALLS – Last Thursday began with a bizarre stone-throwing vandalistic rampage in the early morning hours on Main Street in River Falls. The day ended with an inspiring symbolic hug from the River Falls’ community in the form of donated clean-up time and food. 

The sign outside St. Bridget Parish School read, "Jesus, I Trust in You!"

Behind the sign, over a dozen boarded up shattered windows on three sides of St. Bridget School could be seen.   

"We got the worst of it because he spent the most time here," said St. Bridget Parish School acting Principal Mike Leary about the alleged suspect’s 50-minute midnight visit to campus. "A lot of businesses had one or two windows, but we got pelted pretty good."

Leary, a 23-year teaching veteran at St. Bridget, was with his eighth graders at an end-of-school-year retreat in Amery when he heard the vandalism news from his custodian early in the morning. With shards of glass coating the stairwells and classrooms, school was cancelled on Thursday for the impending clean-up.

"We had a water pipe burst years ago, but as far as I can remember, that's the only time school has been cancelled other than weather," said Leary.

As social media began buzzing about the damage to St. Bridget School and other local business windows, many people focused their comments and verbal rocks on the alleged 18-year-old suspect. However, close to 60 volunteers heeded the teachings of Jesus in John 8:7 that says, "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone."

Leary drove back from the retreat in Amery and arrived at the school about 9:30 Thursday morning.

"I saw broken glass," said Leary, "but I also saw droves of people in our parking lot. Everybody had gloves and shop vacs and they were ready to work. By the time I got there, all the good was happening."

"A terrible thing happened," said St. Bridget Trustee Bob Casey, "but a great thing happened later that day."

"We had some alumni and former teachers come back to help," said St. Bridget School Assistant Principal Dannell Nordstrom. "Contractors drove by and gave us stuff. We're ready for tomorrow, so it's pretty amazing."

Kris Grove and her family own "The Table on Main" cafe in River Falls. St. Bridget is close to Kris's heart as her husband, Barrett, is the St. Bridget Parish Administrator.

"My love language is food and that's how I can help," said Kris. "Even before I owned the cafe that's what I've always done. Everyone is always hungry after they've worked hard all day."

The Table on Main and Kinni Cafe donated free meals to volunteers and St. Bridget staff members helping with the day-long clean-up.

"Everyone was pitching in to get the kiddos back in school for the last two days and for eighth grade graduation," said Casey. "It's band-aided right now with plastic and plywood, but we'll get it repaired this summer. You knew River Falls would ring the bell and they did."

"We're so grateful for the community coming together," said Nordstrom.

"We told all the teachers to not bring anything for lunch tomorrow because we had that much food dropped off," said Leary.

On Friday while back at school, the staff and students of St. Bridget Parish School, along with members of the community, formed a huge human circle in the parking lot. They joined in prayer for peace and hope.

The alleged suspect was captured on video and apprehended by River Falls police. The suspect’s motives are not known at this time; however, one anonymous volunteer referenced a line from the movie Forrest Gump while cleaning up glass and trying to imagine the level of frustration in someone else’s life to cause them to act out in such a manner and said, "Sometimes, I guess, there aren't enough rocks to throw."