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The Journey<br />
By Deacon Gary Hager<br />
Thanks to God and thank you to all that supported the journey of 50 campers of local youth<br />
and adult chaperones, half from <strong>Holy</strong> <strong>Rosary</strong>, to Lancaster, PA for Catholic Heart Workcamp<br />
(CHWC) held at Lancaster Catholic High School. The heading for this article seems<br />
appropriate, for nearly everyone attending the camp and the Lancaster residents.<br />
The journey brought 180 campers together from Minnesota, Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire and other New<br />
England states for the next chapter in our journeys. Each parish attending the camp is spread among 24 work<br />
teams. Team 14 consisted of Kaitlyn Kennedy, Detroit Lakes; Lindsey¸ Maine; Molly, Alex, Will and Grace,<br />
Virginia; plus adult chaperones, Ingrid, Virginia and myself, Gary Hager, DL.<br />
We entered a journey with the Cherry Street Guest Home in Columbia, PA, a Personal Care Facility with 30 residents;<br />
some residents have lived at the facility for 20 years. Also the home has a staff of nine, and the facility<br />
owner, Roxanne. The home is approximately 125 years old, with seven bathrooms and 17 bedrooms, plus a small<br />
commercial kitchen, dining room, sitting room and a wonderful open air porch common for the era.<br />
Roxanne, the facility owner for the past 12 years, manages the home 24-7, living about 30 yards from the home in<br />
a small rental apartment. Roxanne stated, she loves the residents and the staff. Her budget is limited to the social<br />
security checks each resident receives to pay the staff, meals, mortgage, insurance, taxes, utilities, repairs and resident‟s<br />
medical bills with hopes to have $1,000 remaining at the end of the month. Last winter, when each of the<br />
three furnaces broke down, the repair costs exceeded funds, yet Roxanne trusts in God to see her through day to<br />
day. When we prepared to depart on the final work day, our work team, the residents, staff and Roxanne gathered<br />
in a large circle for prayer, after the prayer the residents stated how much they love Roxanne for heading up the<br />
“family” at Cherry Street Guest Home. Roxanne is Christ to the residents and staff. Each day consists of long<br />
hours, little rest and sharing much of herself, a widow, with grown children. Ironically our work team hoped to be<br />
Christ to the residents; rather we were there to support Roxanne on her journey.<br />
The work team completed four – six hour days to improve landscaping around the home by weeding, planting<br />
petunias and, impatiens, adding 14 bags of mulch, watering flowers, removing English Ivy, an invasive weed,<br />
washing and painting the open air porch, painting four bathrooms, washed down bedroom doors, cleaned the six<br />
burner commercial gas stove, refrigerator, washed the kitchen floor and most wonderfully spent time with the<br />
residents in the sitting room and playing board games.<br />
Some residents shared their journey with us including raised in orphanages as children, no family. Other residents<br />
experience either physical or mental challenges where they cannot live on their own, one man deaf and does not<br />
speak, plus military veterans. Each resident is friendly with a special smile for the work team but even a greater<br />
smile for Roxanne.<br />
After each work day, all work teams returned to Lancaster Catholic High School to get cleaned up, a meal and<br />
then participate in the evening program. Each night we<br />
were asked, “How did you see God during the work<br />
day?” To conclude this letter, I saw God in Roxanne,<br />
consider reading Matthew Chapter 5:2-12 to better understand.<br />
Roxanne is living the mission that Jesus sent us on<br />
to live. Roxanne does what she does since she knows that<br />
these residents have nowhere to go. Roxanne's witness is<br />
how I saw God throughout this journey. I thank God and<br />
thank you for supporting us on this journey to meet Roxanne,<br />
the residents and staff at Cherry Street Guest Home.<br />
JULY<br />
Team 5:00 PM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM<br />
Minister of <strong>Holy</strong><br />
Communion<br />
Janelle Erickson Danae Wothe Charlie Berenz<br />
Usher John Schmit Don Sayer Rick Nemec<br />
Greeters<br />
Jim & Sheila Hannon<br />
Dick & Joan Carr<br />
Irv & Doria Bakken<br />
Maureen Schreder<br />
John & Vonnie Jacobson<br />
Leone Gray<br />
Ted & Arlene Tibodeau<br />
Sacristan Jackie Bellows Donna Martin Steve Champa<br />
5:00 PM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM<br />
<strong>July</strong> 7-8 Announcer Megan Grubb Sarah Perkevewicz Fran DeCock<br />
Reader 1 Loren Thompson Steve Carlson Kathy Klindt<br />
Reader 2 Peggy Ross Jed Perkevewicz Bobbi Bryngleson<br />
Music<br />
Altar Servers<br />
Scott Mehlhaff<br />
Wade Singer<br />
Matthew Andresen<br />
April Spaeth<br />
Jamie McDougall<br />
Amber Lyman<br />
Emma Lyman<br />
Susan Champa<br />
Jamie McDougall<br />
Lauren Tschider<br />
Carly Fritz<br />
<strong>July</strong> 14-15 Announcer Jim Anderson Jerry Tharaldson Karen V. Schmit<br />
Reader 1 Lanny Sweeney Jerry Schutz Jon Larson<br />
Reader 2 Don Spitzley Bobbi Bryngelson Brian Swanson<br />
Music<br />
Mary Kessler<br />
Tim Kessler<br />
April Spaeth<br />
Scott Mehlhaff<br />
April Spaeth<br />
Joyful Noise<br />
Anna Jones<br />
Maci Bellefeuille<br />
Alex Swanson<br />
Altar Servers<br />
Katie Steffl<br />
Mary Eleanor Nelmark<br />
Nicole Swanson<br />
<strong>July</strong> 21-22 Announcer Odelia Tietz Brad Carlson Joy Stone<br />
Reader 1 Lisa Jasken Cookie Bergen Diane Mollins<br />
Reader 2 Megan Grubb Barbara Schmidt Doreen Klomstad<br />
Music<br />
Altar Servers<br />
Scott Mehlhaff<br />
Marcus Jasken<br />
Noah Steffl<br />
April Spaeth<br />
Susan Champa<br />
Eric Kallstrom<br />
Wade Singer<br />
Magnificat<br />
Curtis Klomstad<br />
Jon P. Stone<br />
<strong>July</strong> 28-29 Announcer Kay Fulp Jay Deraney Nona Willet<br />
Reader 1 Sheila Hannon Carol Foltz Paula Okeson<br />
Reader 2 Jim Anderson Joe Ed Knopf Mike Williams<br />
Music<br />
Altar Servers<br />
Paul Bridgeford<br />
Shawn Grierson<br />
Katie Steffl<br />
Anna Jones<br />
Alison Schumacher<br />
Karen Wenner, Joy Stone<br />
Madison Bowers<br />
Nicole Dahring<br />
Tim Eggebraaten<br />
Isaac Eggebraaten<br />
Sam Spry<br />
Aug 4-5 Announcer Lanny Sweeney Mary Schutz Jim Utecht<br />
Reader 1 Ross Gailfus Dennis Steffl Dave Karsnia<br />
Reader 2 Don Spitzley Mark Hagen Howard Mooney<br />
Music<br />
Altar Servers<br />
Scott Mehlhaff<br />
Matthew Tobkin<br />
Matthew Andresen<br />
April Spaeth<br />
Susan Champa<br />
Sydney Goltz<br />
Casey Goltz<br />
Magnificat<br />
Danielle Clark<br />
Anikka Hughes