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Chicago Tribune Article: ‘People need help’ St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish assists people impacted by two hurricanes
/‘People need help’ St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish assists people impacted by two hurricanes
By KARIE ANGELL LUC | Chicago Tribune
PUBLISHED: October 21, 2024 at 2:54 PM CST
Right, Rev. David Ryan, pastor at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish in Lake Zurich, leads a blessing of the truck and its donated contents destined for people in Tampa, Florida impacted by Hurricane Milton, outside of the St. Francis de Sales Parish Center in Lake Zurich on Oct. 19, 2024. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
It took under one hour for volunteers of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish in Lake Zurich on Oct. 19 to load up a van and large truck with donations destined for people impacted by Hurricane Milton in Tampa, Florida.
St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish, in partnership with Lake Forest business Contract Installations, made possible the donation drive to provide relief supplies.
On Saturday morning, adult parishioners were also joined by students from St. Francis de Sales Catholic School and the parish’s religious education program to pack up and load items.
Upper right, in blue shirt, is Mike Iwanski of Long Grove, participating in a prayer and blessing of the truck by Rev. David Ryan, pastor at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish in Lake Zurich, who is leading the blessing of the truck and its donated contents destined for people in Tampa, Florida impacted by Hurricane Milton, outside of the St. Francis de Sales Parish Center in Lake Zurich on Oct. 19, 2024. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
“It’s good teamwork,” said Mike Iwanski of Long Grove, among volunteers working the assembly line to load the truck.
Matt Dulen of Lake Zurich is president of Contract Installations, a Lake Forest business with a three-decade history and now with 30 to 40 employees. Contract Installations specializes in commercial office furniture and related services.
Contract Installations has a satellite location in Tampa, Florida, and when Hurricane Milton occurred, Dulen reached out to contacts in Tampa to ask how to help.
Dulen was inspired to launch a local donation drive. Supplies such as water, diapers, and baby formula will be driven in a 53-foot tractor-trailer truck to Tampa for donation distribution by a charitable relief organization, non-profit ECHO of Brandon (Emergency Care Help Organization). The donations should arrive in Tampa the week before Halloween, Dulen said.
Volunteers outside of the St. Francis de Sales Parish Center in Lake Zurich on Oct. 19, 2024. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
“In today’s world and how things are going,” Dulen said, “I think this is a good opportunity to just bring everybody together for a good cause.”
In addition to being a parishioner at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Dulen is a member of the Knights of Columbus Queen of Peace Council #3954 and his children attend St. Francis de Sales Catholic School. “I know this is going to go a long way,” Dulen said of the amount of donations. “It’s a cool thing to see.”
Parishioners and families of the religious education program and the school donated multiple skids of bottled water and non-perishable food such as energy and granola bars. The items were staged in the St. Francis de Sales Parish Center over one week.
Rev. David Ryan, pastor at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish, conducted a blessing of the truck once it was loaded. Volunteers put their hands on the truck as part of the gesture of faith.
Far right is Mike Iwanski of Long Grove, participating in a prayer and blessing of the truck by Rev. David Ryan, pastor at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish in Lake Zurich, who is leading the blessing of the truck and its donated contents destined for people in Tampa, Florida impacted by Hurricane Milton, outside of the St. Francis de Sales Parish Center in Lake Zurich on Oct. 19, 2024. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
“We’re not like social workers, we’re disciples of Jesus Christ carrying out the great law of love and carrying out the corporal works of mercy and being good samaritans along the way, stopping and helping someone in need,” Ryan said.
Father Ryan complimented the school’s (NJHS) National Junior Honor Society, student council, religious education, and youth ministry for assisting, in addition to school principal Mary Keller, parish families, and associated ministry collaboratives.
“This has been a tremendous reflection of the great law of love,” Ryan said. Arlene Kuhn of Lake Zurich was among Saturday’s volunteers. “People need help, people have lost everything,” Kuhn said. “It’s bleak, so any little thing that we can do that would help somebody at least maybe get through an hour or a minute...I want to help, so that’s why I’m here.
“We need to serve one another,” Kuhn added. Joanne Luce of Hawthorn Woods was also among the helping hands. “It just makes me feel good,” Luce said.
Left, Joanne Luce of Hawthorn Woods is among volunteers helping to load donations in the St. Francis de Sales Parish Center in Lake Zurich on Oct. 19, 2024. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
Of even one bottle of fresh water, “That’s one they didn’t have before,” Luce said.
Evan Garrow, 13, an eighth-grader from Lake Zurich, helped to bring items to the back of the large truck, removing a sweatshirt in the process on the sunny day with temperatures approaching 70 degrees.
Evan belongs to Boy Scout Troop 309 of Lake Zurich.
“I have cousins down in Florida,” Evan said. “But I know it’s really bad down there right now, I guarantee it.
“It’s important for us to give back,” Evan added.
Evan Garrow, 13, an eighth-grader from Lake Zurich, takes a moment during the loading of the truck outside of the St. Francis de Sales Parish Center in Lake Zurich on Oct. 19, 2024. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
Volunteer Ben Iwanski, 10, a fifth-grader from Long Grove said about the hurricane situation and those impacted, “I’m really worried.”
The parish plans on hosting another donation drive before the end of October to benefit those in Asheville, North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene.
Father Ryan invites people to contact the church for donations by calling 847-726-4723. This phone number does not accept text messages. The website is https://www.stfrancislzparish.org . The parish is located at 135 S. Buesching Road. The email is also parishoffice@stfrancislz.org.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
Damien
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Knights of Columbus Super Bowl Party
/CANCELLED!
Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship
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Sunday, January 21, 2024 @ Noon
We're happy to announce our annual Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship! All boys and girls ages 9 to 14 are invited to participate in the local level competition for the 2024 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Competition. The local competition will be held in the main gym of the St. Francis de Sales Parish School (enter through the side gym doors).
The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through the local, district, and jurisdictional competitions. International champions are announced by the Knights of Columbus international headquarters in New Haven, CT, based on scores from the jurisdiction-level competitions. All boys and girls ages 9 to 14 are eligible to participate and will compete in their respective age divisions. All contestants on the local level are recognized for their participation in the event. Participants are required to furnish proof of age and written parental consent.
For entry forms or additional information contact: Mike Iwanski at 224-246-5986 or mike.iwanski@gmail.com
Join Bingo Team Kirk!
/We are in search of additional team members to help run Bingo Night at the Knights Hall. Team Kirk rotates Thursday Bingo with 4 teams. We will teach you on site. Start time is 5pm and we go until 9:30pm. You can come work whichever positions you like at times that fit your needs. Some come early, some come later. Some even work the whole time! If you are interested in joining team Kirk, please call or text Kirk at (224)288-9733 or email him at kirk.galasso@comcast.net
