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Genesee County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children, Inc. receives Kelly For Kids Foundation Grant.

By Tara Pariso

 

At the 3rd Annual Grant Recipient Luncheon for the Kelly For Kids Foundation, held on January 11, 2010 at Ilio Dipaolo’s restaurant in Blasdell, NY, Genesee County CASA for Children received a grant for $2,500 from the Kelly For Kids Foundation. This grant came out of the support of Terry Hills Restaurant and Golf Course. Each year Terry Hills chooses grant recipients that work with children in the community for such funds for hosting the tournament put on by Jim Kelly.
 
Genesee County CASA for Children would like to thank Terry Hills, Mr. Kelly, and the Kelly For Kids Foundation for their generous support. The funds from this grant will assist CASA in continuing our mission to provide trained community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of those children who come to the attention of Family Court as a result of abuse or neglect. CASA’s hope for this upcoming year is to recruit and train at least 5 new advocates that will be able to take case assignment and advocate for the abused and neglected children in our community.
 
If you would like information on becoming a CASA volunteer, contact Tara Pariso at (585) 344-2550 x 2331 or tpariso@co.genesee.ny.us.

A Question of Sidewalks

By Jennifer Keys

I'm very curious to know your thoughts on sidewalks.

What do you think about sidewalks? What do sidewalks say about a community? Are some sidewalks more important than others? What is your favorite kind of a sidewalk (slate, brick, cement, dirt path...)?

Conversations with Calliope- Musicophilia

By Joseph Langen

 


(Columbus Circle Statues)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Ready for another week?
JOE: I am.
CALLIOPE: What have you been up to over the weekend?
JOE: I started reading Oliver Sacks' book Musicolophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain.
CALLIOPE: What did you discover?
JOE: A provocative line toward the beginning raising a question about what use music is and why does it exist and enchant us. Then I spent Saturday evening enchanted by the Dady Brothers, Roxanne Ziegler and Irish Dancers.
CALLIOPE: To what end?
JOE: I reached the conclusion that sometimes words fail us and we must think and communicate in other ways.
CALLIOPE: As a champion of epic poetry, I must remind you that the arts were originally ways of relating our heritage, ideas and culture.
JOE: No doubt. But there is something else too. Even writing does not just convey information. It touches our souls and hearts and brings us together.
CALLIOPE: So you see the arts, including literature as a way for our minds and souls to communicate?
JOE: I do. I'm not sure I can explain it any further. Maybe it is something to contemplate without words.
CALLIOPE: Perhaps so. Let's both meditate on it.
JOE: Agreed. Talk with you tomorrow.

 

 

Family photo

By Chelsea O'Brien

I bought an old steamer trunk from the Batavia Flea Market down at the county fair grounds back in June. I've started to clean it up, and I've found a baby picture. Does anyone know the Tyler family that used to live on Morton street? I don't rememer the name of the baby, but it's a picture of a 3-week-old, I don't want to throw it away, but I'm not sure where/who to send/give it to. Your help is greatly appreciated :)

On another note, while I've started to clean it up with Murphy's Oil Soap, and it's looking fantastic. Once I try to get some of the other marks and scuffs off of it, I'll post some pictures. It was built by a trunk company in Rochester and has shipping stickers on it from Ann Arbor. It's a pretty cool buy for $10!

Conversations with Calliope- A New Spiritual Home

By Joseph Langen

 



(Family)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Have you finally returned to your regular schedule?
JOE: We'll see. The answer is yes for the moment.
CALLIOPE: Did your weekend adventures provide all you expected?
JOE: They did. A couple from Spiritus Christi invited my brother and me for dinner Saturday.
CALLIOPE: How did that go?
JOE: Quite well. We learned more about the history of the community which has been in existence for about ten years now and is going strong.
CALLIOPE: Any revelations?
JOE: I was concerned that they might have some confining dogmas which might give me second thoughts. I thought I might want to just stay with the experience and not try to make too much sense of it.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: Discussing it did not provide any such difficulties. It is a community which offers support for acting in a Christian way without the onerous burdens I formerly carried as a Roman Catholic and which eventually drove me from their fold.
CALLIOPE: And then?
JOE: My brother and I and our girlfriends attended the Spiritus Christi service Sunday morning and felt totally immersed in their fellowship and community.
CALLIOPE: It sounds like you have found a new spiritual home.
JOE: I think so. We are trying to let it develop naturally without forcing anything. Talk with you tomorrow.

 

Lawn Fete at St. Joseph School, Batavia

By St. Joseph School
Lawn Fete at St. Joseph School
 
corner of Main & Summit, Batavia
 
Friday June 12th through Sunday June 14th
 
Friday (6-11pm), Saturday (1-11pm) and Sunday (12-10pm)
 
Carnival rides, food, children's games
 
please call the church office with questions 585-343-5800
Event Date and Time
-

Treasure Sale 8-3 p.m.

By Brenda Ranney

The annual Treasure sale conducted by the Deacons will be in the fellowship hall at First Presbyterian Church on the corner of Main and Liberty in Batavia on May 2nd 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Proceeds from the sale of gently used items are used to fund various outreach missions in our local comunity.
There will be breakfast bake goods and coffee to start off your morning for purchase.

Event Date and Time
-

Family care giving classes offered at Genesee's Lakeville campus

By Philip Anselmo

From Genesee Community College:

Genesee Community College and the American Red Cross have partnered together to provide Family Care Giving Classes at the Lakeville campus center located at 5999 Big Tree Road. The classes will provide instruction to families caring for loved ones of any age. Four classes will be offered on various Saturday mornings, starting Saturday March 14, from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. The cost for all four classes is $25.

The first class, scheduled for March 14, will focus on Home Safety and Healthy Eating. The second class, on March 28, will focus on General Care. The April 4 class will concentrate on Personal Care, and the last class in the series will take place on April 25 and will discuss Caring for the Caregiver, Legal and Financial Issues and Alzheimer's.

"These classes are an excellent way to serve our community members who may be caring for a loved one and have many questions," Serena Cooke, Campus Associate at the Lakeville campus center said. "With the growing number of elderly parents being cared for by their children, due to personal choice or economic reasons, training and support needs to be available for these families."

The Lakeville campus center is located at 5999 Big Tree Road (Route 20A) in Lakeville. Class sizes are limited, and registration is required. Please call the Lakeville Campus Center for further information or to register at 585-346-5070.

Nurses’ Night Out social and educational event planned

By Philip Anselmo

From the United Memorial Medical Center:

United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) is sponsoring a Nurses’ Night Out event for Thursday, February 26, 2009 at Terry Hills Restaurant, 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia. This social and educational event is open to all nursing and pharmacy professionals.
 
Michelle Spiotta, BS, RPh, and Pharmacy Clinical Manager for United Memorial will address the 2009 Patient Safety Standard on Anticoagulation during her discussion, “Anticoagulation Management and Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia.”
 
Registration and Social Hour will be at 5:30 pm. Dinner will begin at 7:00 pm. Attendees should reserve a seat by phoning (585)344-7432 by February 23rd.
 
Non-UMMC employees will be charged $20 per person to cover the cost of dinner.

Out at the Lazy Redneck Ranch

By Philip Anselmo

All was quiet out at the Lazy Redneck Ranch this winter morning. Maybe you could have heard the sound of the sparrows tweeting and flitting up in the hayloft of the horse barn. Maybe the cats will chase the dog around the kitchen again. Maybe the grandkids are due for a visit. Soon enough, though, the ice will thaw and the endless work on the house that hometown tenacity built will begain again anew.

More than four years have passed since the excavator pulled up front of the Falker-Crandall homestead to dig the foundation for their new home (that's it up there). Since then, plenty of folks with the last name Falker or Crandall and plenty others, too, have visited that plot of land along Lockport Road in Oakfield, where a husband and wife decided that they weren't going to pay someone else to build their home. Nah. They would do it themselves.

You could see that house, too, standing proud, quite handsome, proof that as long as you've got the desire, the know-how and a few carpenters for relatives nothing can keep you from building your own home. Not that it's finished. Not by a long shot. Mark and Barb Falker-Crandall talk about their "expansion" plans with that audacity in their voice that lets you know they mean to keep on going, adding this, remodeling that, until they migrate to the big ranch in the sky.

"It will be one of those things that I'll work on until I can't pick up a hammer no more," says Mark. I can see him, too, decades from now, grizzled and grey, still swinging the ball-peen, tweaking this, patching that. It's his home, literally. Barb's too. They built it with their bare hands... and "with a little help from good friends and God," as Barb likes to say, they got it done.

Let's back up a little, though, back to that day the excavator arrived. It was August. Sunny and warm. Mark was stoked. He thought he was going to have off work a few months to lay the foundation and maybe even get up the walls of his new house. They would be out of the trailer in no time... Then the phone rang, and Mark was packing for Binghamton that same afternoon.

So he put in the call to his old school chum Wayne Shamblin, who was out at the site as soon as the plot had been dug. Wayne had the block all laid by the time Mark was home from Binghamton that weekend, and just like that, the Falker-Crandalls had a foundation.

That was how it went for the next couple years. They did what they could when they could and got help when they couldn't. Mark worked on the place mostly on weekends, until he started a night shift the following spring. Barb was going to school full-time and working full-time, plus the internship. "It was crazy," she admits.

"There wasn't a lot of sleep going on at that time," says Mark. He brags that the excavator work was the only part of the job that they didn't do themselves... with a little help from friends and family, of course. That's no exaggeration. They did the plumbing, the electrical, the drywall, all the structural work. Mark built a kitchen counter with a bar. Barb sewed the curtains and the doilies. Mark borrowed an aluminum break from one friend and got another friend to bend all the ductwork for the heating system.

When the trusses were ready to go up, Barb got together a bunch of folks from their church. Husbands and wives came out. They brought food. "It was like a good old Amish barn raising," says Barb. They raised the roof in a day.

What's more: they did it all with local goods.

Mark got the trusses from Potter Lumber Co. in Corfu. Most of the rest of the lumber, they had delivered by Trathen Logging Co. Windows and doors were got from Millwork Solutions in Batavia, where they scored an incredible deal on French doors for the back of the house. Their kitchen cupboards came from a shop in Indian Falls. Everything was local, got from hometown businesses, from people they knew who knew how to cut a deal. Heck, Mark even bought their furnace—brand new, mind you—at a garage sale.

Mark and Barb don't have the kind of spic and span credit that gets you a bankroll no questions asked. Like most of us. So they worked deals, borrowed from friends, even bartered. Once the trailer was hauled off the property, they sold that to pay for the insulation. When they needed dirt for fill—they also built the horse barn next to the house... from scratch—Barb negotiated with the construction crews who were then redoing the roads in Oakfield. She made them an offer they couldn't refuse.

"Twenty-two loads," she says, "and all it cost me was two homemade apple pies."

They got that raw, cabin-style look by going with rough cut lumber, as opposed to finished siding. That also saved them considerably. Aesthetics + cash in pocket = a job well done. "People tell us: 'Your place looks so nice. It looks like the little house on the prarie,'" says Barb.

Well, that's not exactly the name they went with.

"You want to know what we call it?" asks Mark. "We call it the Lazy Redneck Ranch." According to a sibling who shall remain nameless, Mark explains that he's been dubbed the lazy one—so lazy he built himself a house—and Barb's the redneck.

A redneck who knits doilies? "Yes," she says. "I play in the mud. I'll play tackle football, ride a horse, get out the four-wheeler... and... I like my guns."

She's also known to spoil a grandchild every now and then.

A Look Into the Local Veterans

By Robin Walters

It took a gangster that God placed in my life today to ask myself how grateful am I?

Let me explain: 

After being at the altar with the gal at church today, a gentleman introduced himself to me and said God spoke to me to come up to you and let you know that there is leadership skills in you and that God would like you to be open to look at other possible ministries.

 He explained that he does ministry at the local Veterans Medical Center and within prisons and jails. He invited me to come with him today to the local Veterans Medical Center.

 I met him there. He explained our job as volunteers was to go to the floors and take the men down to the chapel for church service. As we got off the elevator, God showed me a world I had only heard about and never personally seen.  As we walked down the halls, he told me to be sure to look and listen. What I saw was so heart wrenching. There were men that had lost their limbs. There were men with mental disorders. There were men that had been disabled in so many ways. Yes, men that gave their lives to fight for our freedom! Just as Christ died on the cross, to set us free, there have been men that died for our freedom here on earth and here was a building full of men that God saved.

 As I wheeled them down to the chapel, my heart was melting. The chaplain gave an awesome message. He let the Vets know that God loves them. We sang Jesus loves me. The older vet in his wheelchair behind me, belted that song right out. He gave them hope. He let them that know that maybe no family comes to see them, that maybe they feel alone and hopeless. The chaplain started knocking his hand on the table.. and kept knocking. As he knocked, he said you hear that, it is Jesus saying I am here let me in. His fist got louder, he kept knocking. He said Jesus is there knocking wanting to come in. When you are lonely , when you are blue, please know that Jesus wants to come in. He is here every minute with you.  He also shared the message of how even though are bodies are getting older and falling apart, how God renews us.

 The chaplain, the volunteers and the Vets sang Amazing grace. Yes Amazing Grace.

Tears were streaming down my face. As I escorted the one gentleman back to the lounge, I looked around the room. There were so many lonely souls in the room all in wheelchairs. I am sure some have families that come visit. I am sure there may be other ministries that come in and help. But I also know that there are men in this facility that have no family. I took the time and went around to each them and extended my hand and greeted them. This one man who could barely speak said I am a jet fighter pilot from World War 2. I responded what a blessing you are the first jet pilot fighter I have ever met!

 I went back to the other lounge and the one man’s family brought pizza for lunch. They invited our ministry team from the Assembly of God church  to join them for lunch.

 As we were going down the elevator to get ready to leave, I started to cry. I thought about how selfish I have been in life. I thought about how many days I may get a whoa poor is me attitude about the most stupidest thing! I thought about how giving of 2 hours of my time at the facility today blessed lives. I thought about how many people are just going about their every day lives and not being grateful for what they have. More importantly, God showed me about selfishness.

 I thought about how I saw these men sitting watching the local football game by themselves , as many families are gathered in their living rooms feasting on snacks and food and watching the game from the comfort of their couch.

 God asked me as I walked to my car, how grateful are you Robin? How thankful are you that my son died on the cross to save you? How grateful are you for these men that fought for your freedom and all others here in Batavia and the United States? What can you do Robin to show you are grateful for Jesus and these men?

 In God’s word, he gives us this commandment

 Romans 13: 9-10

 9The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet,"[a] and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."[b] 10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

 Our neighbor is not just the person that lives next door to us, no it is all of God’s people here on earth including these wonderful veterans who fought for our freedom.

 Oh yes, in the beginning I told you God used a “gangster” to show me. The gentleman that led me there today was a former gangster years ago. He had a huge gang right here in Batavia. However, the Lord found him, he is a born again Christian  and now has been in ministry in the local prisons, jails and Veterans center for the past 25 years!

I give thanks to all veterans for fighting for our freedom. I encourage you if you are looking for ways to show your appreciation contact your local Veterans Hospital and ask how you can show your support for those who give their lives for your freedom. Whether it be going and watching a sporting event with them, just stopping by and saying hi, or escorting them down and sitting with them during church service, you will not only bless them, but the experience will richly reward and bless you back!
 

New York State School for the Blind hosts Community Days

By Philip Anselmo

From the School for the Blind:

On January 28, 2009 the New York State School for the Blind will host a Community Day in celebration of the School’s 140th Anniversary. The Community Day will be open to the public from 1:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.  The event will feature a variety of activities including a “Glimpses of Our Past” slide show, hourly tours, and activities with the goal of the participants gaining an understanding of individuals with visual impairments.

Care-A-Van Brings Christmas to the City with your generous donations!

By Robin Walters

It was a busy night at the Assembly of God church this past Wednesday evening.

Families and friends of the Assembly of God Church and Care-A-Van Ministries got together to celebrate the spirit of Christmas. The spirit of giving was flowing through the air and room. While the Christmas carols rung sweetly through the room and the hot chocolate and goodies warmed the tummies of all, the hands and hearts were busy wrapping Christmas presents. The presents were not for themselves or their families. No, these presents will be delivered to familes that are facing tough times this holiday season.

Through the generosity of church family and community members, there was monetary and gift donations made to Care-A-Van Ministries to help bless many families. In years past, Paul and Bridget would do all of this wrapping by themselves. This year a new tradition was formed. With all of the hands that were available, Santa's work went alot quicker! Can you imagine being Laura and having to do all of this shopping? Bless her heart! Approximately 15 families will be blessed. The Care-A-Van bus will be helping Santa out. The bus will spend 4 nights out on the street during this upcoming week to deliver presents along with the Lord's blessings.  Here are a few photos to share with you:

Our Own Pastor Dan gets in on the action

 

Who's Shoes Are These?

By Robin Walters

As I headed down Bank Street to church at Northgate this past Sunday, I noticed something in the road ahead of me. I thought "what the heck is that?". As my car got closer I noticed, it was a pair of shoes!

All the cars just kept going by them, mine included. As I settled into the pew at church I kept thinking about those shoes. How in the world did they end up there? Did someone set them on top of their car as they were getting in to go somewhere and forgot about them? Was someone angry and threw their shoes out the window? Maybe they were nestled in a backpack on the bag of a bicycle rider? Or maybe, just maybe they got tired of walking  in their own shoes! How many times have you heard someone say " try walking in my shoes"? Yes we all have walked many miles in our own shoes. We have all had many life experiences, some pleasant and some not so pleasant.

During this holiday season, we are all putting extra miles on our shoes while we are busy getting ready for Christmas day. Currently, our shoes are working overtime trying be prepared for the big day. Our shoes are taking us to the local malls, standing at the oven baking the Christmas cookies, trudging through the field to find the perfect Christmas tree, standing outside of Walmart ringing the bell, singing carols on the streets, walking across stages to practice the Christmas play and the list goes on and on.

Do you know where your shoes are? Where have your shoes been taking you lately?

If you are tired of walking in your shoes, try someone else's on for size. You may find that your shoes are not that bad after all. But, if you are tempted, feel free to stop by the roadside and try these ones on. I stopped after church and picked them up out of the middle of the road and moved them to the curb just in case the owner went looking for them or if  by chance someone wanted to try walking in someone else shoes for a day.

A Total Stranger in The City

By Robin Walters

With the holiday fast approaching, I have found myself a total stranger in a new city.

I had the opportunity to attend Christmas in the City Friday night. The sidewalks were filled with shoppers, carolers and lots and lots of teens running around having a grand time. I was busy with Care-A-Van Ministries handing out delicioius brownies and hot chocolate. It was a fun filled evening.

I must say it was not easy finding the public restrooms in the mall among the crowd. Thank goodness for good ole reliable JC Penneys! I came home exhausted and chilled from standing on the streets.

This morning I got up and got ready to go to another event in the city. It was the Christmas gathering of the local  Aglow Women's chapter.

What is Aglow you ask?

What is Aglow? (taken from www.aglow.org)

• Aglow International is a transdenominational organization of Christian women that some Christian leaders call a “global movement”

• Aglow is established in 172 nations on 6 continents, all of which have indigenous women overseeing the work in their nations

• It is one of the largest international women's organizations, with over 4,600 fellowship groups in the U.S. and internationally.

• An estimated 200,000 women meet together each month through local Aglow fellowships--the heart of the organization

• More than 21,000 Aglow leaders worldwide minister in their communities

• An estimated 17 million people each year are ministered to through Aglow groups

• Aglow consists of small group studies, care (support) groups, retreats, and annual conferences

• Aglow women, through prayer and evangelism, offer practical gifts of clothing, food, housecleaning, and babysitting, as well as mentoring young women

• Aglow women impact their communities by reaching out to women in prison, in senior homes, inner city neighborhoods, and mental institutions; to single moms, working women, all beginning with the woman next door

• Aglow has experienced rapid growth in the past several years, including the nations of Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa

• In Europe, Aglow is established in every major nation (40 nations)

• An active Aglow program in Europe called “Adopt-A-Nation” gives many of the Western European nations the opportunity to “adopt” other nations for support and/or prayer
 

It was a great meeting. The local group Remix performed.

I had to leave the meeing early to go and do street ministry with Care-A-Van. As I was leaving one of the ladies that was at the meeting met me at the door. She asked me if I had a place to go for Christmas day. She had heard that I was new here and was worried I would have no place to go for Christmas. Now how sweet is that? This woman opened up her heart and home to a total stranger.

How many of us welcome total strangers into our lives? From the time we were little, our parents warned us to stay away from strangers. Yes, we must proceed with caution but we also must remember to love others and share the joy of life with them.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas day, the birth of our Lord Jesus, here in the city of Batavia may we all look to share the love with total strangers.

I am thankful for the warm welcome I am getting from folks here in the city. I am going from being a total stranger to being a member of a new family!  A big family at that, the family of the city of Batavia. Halleluiah for those who have warm hearts and open them wide!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OH HOLY NIGHT

By Robin Walters

 

OH HOLY NIGHT

Oh holy night, the bus lights are brightly shining…

 

Yes it truly was a holy night on the Care-A-Van Ministry bus this evening.

A chilly night but such a holy blessed night was enjoyed by all. We were very blessed by the Cooperative Extension office this evening. Mary Jo brought a crock pot of homemade chicken soup which warmed many souls tonight.

 

The bus was truly glimmering all decked out in its holiday trim. The gang had gotten together last week-end to decorate the bus. We were at one of the local apartment complexes. As the bus filled up, not a seat could be found.

 

As I stepped out into the windy chilly night, I observed two young boys looking through all the treasures on the tables. They were having a great time. Someone had donated a box of toys. I watched as they gleefully dug through the box. Shawn, one of our volunteers had picked up a stuffed Bob the Builder doll. He pushed the button and put it up to his ear to here what Bob had to say. I snuck over and enjoyed listening. We put it back in the box. Bob was not happy! He wanted a new home. I am happy to report that Bob did find a new home tonight. After I helped one of the women to her apartment with her groceries, I climbed back onto the bus. Guess who was sitting on one of the seats? Yep, you got it, Bob the Builder! His head was peeking out of bag that sat next to one of the young boys. I chatted with the young fellow. He told me that he was taking Bob home for his brother. How sweet is that!

 

Isn’t it amazing what joy can be brought to a young ones’ heart? During this holiday season many young children are busy filling out their Christmas wish lists. Some of them include the famous Wi’s, X box, stereo systems, the newest cell phone and the list goes on and on. But Christmas came early for these two young boys. You would have thought someone gave them a million dollars when they found Bob and the plastic soldier men.

Why is it that the world has become so commercialized and the true meaning of Christmas gets lost?

 

The entertainment tonight was the video of the Trans Siberian Orchestra. I had never seen it. At the end, this young runaway girl ends up going home on Christmas. As she enters the door, her father is standing at the tree and her mom is there too. She runs into her father’s arms. He hugs and hugs her.

 

Christmas day is only 21 days away. It is a special day where we celebrate our Lord’s birth. May we all remember the true reason for the season. Just as the runaway went back home and ran into her father’s arms, we too on this Christmas day can come back home.

Our Jesus is there waiting for us with his arms wide open. Now if that is not the perfect Christmas gift, I don’t know what is. Praises to our Lord for the gift of his son!

 

May you all have a blessed joyous Christmas  

God Bless  Robin 

 

A Little Comfort

By Robin Walters

 

A LITTLE COMFORT
 
            Alright, so maybe they were not fresh out of mom’s oven, but they sure did bring great comfort and smiles to the students we delivered them to. What is that you ask? The Care-A- Van team headed out to the local college dorms this evening. The bus was overflowing with boxes of cookies.
         
   I can still hear Elder Ron’s voice booming throughout the halls. As he knocked his strong voice echoed through the halls-“Care-A-Van Ministries here.” One team took one side of the building and the other team took the other side.
        
    As the doors opened, we let them know that we were there because we cared.
We shared a brochure of the ministry, a Thanksgiving gospel track and a big box of cookies with each room.
         
   Many answered their doors with their cell phones attached to their ear. Several of the rooms were busy cooking dinner. We tried to guess at one room what they were having. Paul of course chimed in with his guess of Ramen Noodles. How many of you remember those college days when you lived on ramen noodles served with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Paul became quite the barter with the boxes of cookies. He even tried to trade the box of cookies for a bike that sat in the living room.
          
  At the last door, two young men opened the door. The one had a cooking utensil in his hand. This room was blessed with a chef! They were cooking chicken wings. We tried to ask them what time dinner would be ready and that we would stop back. I think the classic of the night is when this young woman answered the knock. I explained that we were there because we cared and had a special gift for them. I turned around to allow Paul and Shawn to present the cookies. Well, it was not cookies that Paul had in his hand.
He stood there with an old sink he found sitting in the hall!
         
   The most touching knock came at an apartment filled with young men. As we turned around to leave, the young gentleman named Matt asked if we could pray with him. He had gotten a call from his father that his mom had to have surgery. Talk about a blessed moment! We prayed and asked for healing for his mom and for the Lord to strengthen him and give him comfort and support while he was miles away from his family. The whole scene touched my heart. Here was a young man who was miles from home and needed comfort. As we walked away, I silently prayed that the other young men sitting in the room heard our prayer as well.
           
We had a special young girl that came out with her dad to help deliver the cookies. Sarah is such a pretty little girl. Here was a young gal that one day whose future may find her miles from home in a similar situation as these college students. Her father is helping build her foundation of the love of Christ and how that love can be shared.
          
  To often in life we get caught up in the busyness of our daily lives. How refreshing it was to take an evening and share some comfort with these young folks.
 
As we presented the cookies, many of the students would reach in to take just one package. We explained they got the whole box. “Really?” many of them said as their eyes met ours. “Yes, really we replied”. The thought that comes to my mind is that God’s gift for us is the whole package. He readily offers to us the whole package of salvation. Not just a piece, not just a part but all the promises and gifts that come with turning our lives and hearts to him. Now that my dear folks is priceless! Just as those cookies were free tonight, so is our salvation. Just as the company that sent the cookies to our ministry to share, God sent his son to share with each and every one of us. Praises to Creative Creations for their donation and praises to our Lord Jesus who gave his life for us.
 
Have a super day!
Robin
 

Notre Dame: Recycling adds up

By Philip Anselmo

It’s been just about a year since members of Miss Betsey Bodine's ND Environmental Awareness Club started actively filling up the large, green and yellow Abitibi recycling container which is located in the parking lot behind Notre Dame! Who says every little piece of paper doesn't add up!

Members of the ND family -faculty and staff, students, parents and friends of ND - can be proud of the fact that 25.27 tons - yes, tons!!! - of paper have been recycled during the past year through our Abitibi!

Congratulations on a job well done and keep up the good work!

Please pass the word . . . you do not have to be a member of the ND family to recycle in our recycling bin! Please encourage your friends, neighbors and relatives to use our Abitibi for recycling their papers and magazines and join us in our attempt to keep our campus - and our little bit of the world - GREEN!

Picture caption:  Student recyclers pose next to the Abitibi pickup truck on Friday, October 3, 2008. (L to R):  Haley Alexander '10, Alex Sandra Morgan '10, Sidney Moag '11, Sophia DelPlato '11 and Paul Teresi '11.

Item submitted by Notre Dame.

Notre Dame: Senior in the Spotlight

By Philip Anselmo

Elizabeth Fischer, daughter of Michael and Mary Anne Fischer of Medina, and a member of the ND Class of 2009 has been designated a Commended Student in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program.  Commended students are recognized for having demonstrated outstanding academic potential by their strong performance on the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) which our current Juniors and Seniors took last October.  Our current Sophomores and Juniors will take the 2008 version of the NMSQT on Wednesday, October 15, 2008. 

Beth’s high Selection Index score on the PSAT exam last October places her among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students in over 21,000 high schools who entered the 2009 competition.  Commended students are named on the basis of a national selection index of 200 which is applicable to all participants, without regard to state-by-state distribution.

A member in good standing of the ND Chapter of the National Honor Society since her Sophomore year, Beth has earned High Honor roll status in each quarter of her ND career, as well as highest average recognition in Biology and Global Studies 9 (2005-2006); Chemistry, Math 10, and Global 10 (2006-2007), and Physics, Math 11, AP US History, Spanish III and Theology (2007-2008).  She has also been an active member of the ND Student Senate, Science Club, and Mission Club and also currently serves as a morning PA announcer.

Beth is also very active in her parish (Holy Family) where she serves as a lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and altar server.

Beth plans on pursuing a career in Biomedical Engineering and lists Cornell University, RIT, and Roberts Wesleyan as possible college choices. She will receive recognition for her Commended Student achievement at Notre Dame’s annual end-of-the-year Celebration of Gifts and Talent in May 2009.

Congratulations, Beth on this noteworthy achievement!

Information submitted by Notre Dame

Notre Dame: Seniors answer the call

By Philip Anselmo

This year's ND graduating class stands forty-two strong. Thirteen members of the Class of 2009 were commissioned as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at our Opening Day Mass on Friday, September 5, 2008. Father Michael Rock, OdeM., Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy in Le Roy, New York and a member of the ND Board of Trustees, performed the commissioning ceremony as part of the first mass of the year at ND.

Eleven of the students were trained at ND last spring by Deacon Tom Casey.  The remaining two were trained at their parish.  We look forward to their service to our community.

Caption:  L to R – Row #1: Henri Burdett, Eric Shormann, Melissa Smith, Brad Cohen, Kristen Francis and Beth Fischer

L to R – Row #2:  Craig Houseknecht, Stacy Squire, Paige Scofield, Kate Spadaccia, Matt Jackson, Ashley Calarco, Sean Zawicki

Information submitted by Notre Dame

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