JANUARY
Bro. Donald completes night classes in basic pipefitting and plumbing theory at Ranken Technical College.
FEBRUARY
The Stone-by-Stone Project Advisory Committee continues to meet quarterly to evaluate, expand and enhance home repair services.
Scholarships from St. Louis Lead Prevention Coalition enable Brian Dever and Bro. Donald to secure training and licenses for lead paint abatement and risk assessment.
MARCH
In a joint effort with New City Fellowship Church, "InterVarsity" college students on Spring Break help us tackle a kitchen/bathroom painting project and major floor repairs in the homes of two south city seniors.
Bro. Donald offers presentations at the South County Kiwanis and St. Anthony of Padua's Festival of Ministries.
APRIL
14-year-old volunteer Becky Limpert is recognized as a 2003 Gateway Young Achiever, in part, for her service on home repair projects at the Franciscan Connection.
MAY
Brian Dever organizes our first-ever Quincy University Alumni Day of Service. Fourteen alumni plus their families and friends helped paint a kitchen, living room, bathroom and closet; plant a garden in the front yard; secure loose porch railings, and much more. The single mom and her four kids pitched in every step of the way. Mayor Francis Slay, class of 1977, dropped by to welcome fellow alums and encourage them to carry on that Franciscan spirit of preaching the Good News by our service.
Juniors Jeff Howard and Mike Kohne from St. John the Baptist High School share two weeks in service of our local neighborhood - painting houses, fixing gutters, building porches and hanging drywall for families in need.
St. Anthony of Padua 8th graders brighten up an old garage with a coat of red paint and white trim.
JUNE
Franciscan Volunteer Brian Dever finishes up his year of service here in St. Louis. He goes on to help at St. Peter's in the Loop, a Franciscan church in the heart of downtown Chicago.
Bro. Donald receives the "2003 Call to Brotherhood Award" from the Religious Brothers Conference for his work in creatively involving volunteers in ministries among the poor.
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JULY
Utilizing the summer break, Bro. Donald networks with area churches in order to promote interfaith collaboration and expanded service within the neighborhood.
The Connection goes hi-tech as Bro. Jack Hardesty creates a page for us on the Sacred Heart Province web site: www.TheFriars.org
AUGUST
Beth Lask, QU graduate and second-year member of the Franciscan Volunteer Program, joins the FC staff to assist with home repairs for needy families, tackling everything from tuckpointing and concrete repair to porch building and window replacement.
SEPTEMBER
FC staff organize its 2nd Annual InterAgency Gathering for St. Louis area charities which provide home repairs to needy families.
Beth creates the city's first Resource Directory specifically geared to promote collaboration and referrals among this diverse group.
Bro. Donald and Beth journey to Indianapolis to take part in Angels in the Heart, an annual neighborhood service project helping senior citizens around Franciscan parish, Sacred Heart.
Beth completes basic training in lead paint safety for home remodelers.
Retirees Wally Feld and Marty Grade pitch in on our weekday projects helping paint porches, install kitchen sinks and make other minor repairs.
OCTOBER
Ten students from Quncy University Circle K travel all the way to St. Louis to help clean out a cluttered basement, restore a bathroom and brighten up living spaces for an elderly couple.
Pastor Dittmar and the Kids from St. Luke's Lutheran School return for their annual Halloween service project, helping us pick up litter along Cherokee Street. Business owners greet them with sincere thanks, plus pop and cupcakes.
NOVEMBER
The confirmation class at St. Anthony of Padua School brave a chilly autumn morning to paint an old garage as part of the parish's Holy Ground Project.
Local Secular Franciscans help us label, fold and stuff envelopes for our annual holiday appeal.
DECEMBER
Ron Oberkrom and the plumbing class at Forest Park Community College will help us restore a condemned house by replacing frozen water pipes and rusted drain lines.
The Secular Franciscans will spread holiday cheer while Christmas caroling at the homes of several of our south city families.
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The Franciscan Connection