Greetings!
Wake Up!!!
The Twinning Blog has been updated with a couple of updated posts from our Chair Mike Mercurio. Both are in the form of letters that he sent out to our always faithful and generous supporters! It has been awhile since the Blog was updated. But the Twinning Committee is working as hard as ever and expect regular updates in the foreseeable future!
Please see the two posts below for the update...
Medical Mission
We are proud to announce that our second Medical Mission will take place in March. The Twinning Committee Medical Team leaves March 3 and returns March 10! Stay Tuned.
New Pastor at St. Mary
The Twinning Committee welcomes Father Aidan Donahue the new Pastor at St. Mary!
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Andy Ancel
Twinning Committee Blog Ed
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Twinning Update via our Thank You Letter!
On behalf of Father Cronin and the St. Mary Twinning Committee, I would like to thank you for your 2011 generous $50 donation which will educate, for one year, one student at our sister parish and also help purchase much needed school supplies for Ste. Therese.
I am pleased to provide you with the following information:
Since “Twinning” with Ste. Therese in Marbial, Haiti, five years ago, St. Mary has supported our sister parish with $31,030 of financial assistance intended solely to help educate the nearly six hundred K through 8 and high school students at St. Therese.
In early March 2010, lead by Dr. Richard J. Garvey, St. Mary sent a sixteen person medical team to Ste. Therese for eight days, which proved to be extraordinarily productive and gratifying. The team provided superior, sympathetic, and sensitive medical care to over fifteen hundred individuals and performed twenty-three successful surgeries.
Each year, St. Mary sends to Ste. Therese items to improve both the physical and emotional well-being of our Haitian brothers and sisters. These products include over-the-counter medications, first aid kits, medical and school supplies, personal hygiene items, eye glasses, various tools, Treadle Sewing Machines, and recreational items such as soccer balls, which are all very much needed, most welcomed, and greatly appreciated. Over the years our committee has developed an expression: “Everyone in Haiti needs everything.”
During January 2011, we supplied 225 water purification systems to Ste. Therese, which will provide clean water for one year for approximately 1,800 individuals. These clean water systems will not only save lives, but will substantially improve the general health of the community. Earlier last month we supplied an additional 400 systems which will provide clean drinking water for approximately 3,400 more individuals.
Our exceptional response to the needs of our sister parish are possible only because of the remarkable generosity of the parishioners of St. Mary, their families and friends, as well as other supporters.
As always, I ask that you keep our Haitian brothers and sisters in your prayers; let us all remember: “Our love must not be a thing of words and fine talk. It must be a thing of action and sincerity.” (1 John 3:18)
With warmest regards,
Mike Mercurio
Twinning Chair
I am pleased to provide you with the following information:
Since “Twinning” with Ste. Therese in Marbial, Haiti, five years ago, St. Mary has supported our sister parish with $31,030 of financial assistance intended solely to help educate the nearly six hundred K through 8 and high school students at St. Therese.
In early March 2010, lead by Dr. Richard J. Garvey, St. Mary sent a sixteen person medical team to Ste. Therese for eight days, which proved to be extraordinarily productive and gratifying. The team provided superior, sympathetic, and sensitive medical care to over fifteen hundred individuals and performed twenty-three successful surgeries.
Each year, St. Mary sends to Ste. Therese items to improve both the physical and emotional well-being of our Haitian brothers and sisters. These products include over-the-counter medications, first aid kits, medical and school supplies, personal hygiene items, eye glasses, various tools, Treadle Sewing Machines, and recreational items such as soccer balls, which are all very much needed, most welcomed, and greatly appreciated. Over the years our committee has developed an expression: “Everyone in Haiti needs everything.”
During January 2011, we supplied 225 water purification systems to Ste. Therese, which will provide clean water for one year for approximately 1,800 individuals. These clean water systems will not only save lives, but will substantially improve the general health of the community. Earlier last month we supplied an additional 400 systems which will provide clean drinking water for approximately 3,400 more individuals.
Our exceptional response to the needs of our sister parish are possible only because of the remarkable generosity of the parishioners of St. Mary, their families and friends, as well as other supporters.
As always, I ask that you keep our Haitian brothers and sisters in your prayers; let us all remember: “Our love must not be a thing of words and fine talk. It must be a thing of action and sincerity.” (1 John 3:18)
With warmest regards,
Mike Mercurio
Twinning Chair
Christmas Giving Tree Thank You - Mike Mercurio, Chair
HAITI UPDATE - EDUCATION
On behalf of Father Cronin and the "Twinning Committee" a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made a Haiti Education donation to the 2011 Giving Tree.
Total contributions amounted to a record $6,189 and the children of St. Mary School contributed an additional $553.02. During this month we will send to Father Bertrand, at Ste. Therese, a check in the amount of $7,727.02 which includes $985 collected throughout the year in response to Haiti Education bulletin appeals.
This financial assistance is intended solely to help educate the nearly 600 K thru 8 and high school students of Ste. Therese. It is absolutely remarkable how generous our parishioners have been over the past five years in supporting the various significant needs of our sister parish.
Please always remember; "Our love must not be a thing of words and fine talk. It must be a thing of action and sincerity." (1 John 3:18)
Mike Mercurio
Twinning Chair
On behalf of Father Cronin and the "Twinning Committee" a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made a Haiti Education donation to the 2011 Giving Tree.
Total contributions amounted to a record $6,189 and the children of St. Mary School contributed an additional $553.02. During this month we will send to Father Bertrand, at Ste. Therese, a check in the amount of $7,727.02 which includes $985 collected throughout the year in response to Haiti Education bulletin appeals.
This financial assistance is intended solely to help educate the nearly 600 K thru 8 and high school students of Ste. Therese. It is absolutely remarkable how generous our parishioners have been over the past five years in supporting the various significant needs of our sister parish.
Please always remember; "Our love must not be a thing of words and fine talk. It must be a thing of action and sincerity." (1 John 3:18)
Mike Mercurio
Twinning Chair
Monday, June 27, 2011
Twinning Update - Clean Water Project Very Successful!
Greetings Friends!
Below is the article that Chair Mike Mercurio wrote for the bulletin recently. Though I have been tardy in updating the blog, the amazing work of the Twinning Committee continues. Keep up the great work!
CLEAN WATER FOR STE. THERESE
Last October you were asked to consider making a donation to help provide clean drinking water to our sister parish in Haiti. Your Twinning Committee would like to take this opportunity to update you on that effort.
To date, contributions have amounted to $21,942.37, which includes $1,143.37 donated by all grades (including pre-school) at St. Mary School. It includes also $1,467.00 donated by the 9th grade confirmation class of St. Ann Church, Avon, CT. The children at St. Ann had read about our "clean water" efforts in the January issue of the Catholic Transcript and decided to have a bake sale. WHAT A BAKE SALE!
To date, St. Mary has provided 225 clean water filtration systems to Ste. Therese, at a cost of $10,200, which includes one year's salary for oversight of the systems. These systems serve approximately 1,800 individuals. Father Cronin's approval will allow us to provide an additional 300 systems at cost of $12,500, which will provide clean water for between 2,100 and 3,000 additional individuals.
Although we may never hear direct words of gratitude from our sister parishioners for saving and improving their lives, your support of Ste. Therese is most generous and remarkable, and is truly God's work! Thank you for your continued commitment to help, in many ways, our Haitian brothers and sisters.
Below is the article that Chair Mike Mercurio wrote for the bulletin recently. Though I have been tardy in updating the blog, the amazing work of the Twinning Committee continues. Keep up the great work!
CLEAN WATER FOR STE. THERESE
Last October you were asked to consider making a donation to help provide clean drinking water to our sister parish in Haiti. Your Twinning Committee would like to take this opportunity to update you on that effort.
To date, contributions have amounted to $21,942.37, which includes $1,143.37 donated by all grades (including pre-school) at St. Mary School. It includes also $1,467.00 donated by the 9th grade confirmation class of St. Ann Church, Avon, CT. The children at St. Ann had read about our "clean water" efforts in the January issue of the Catholic Transcript and decided to have a bake sale. WHAT A BAKE SALE!
To date, St. Mary has provided 225 clean water filtration systems to Ste. Therese, at a cost of $10,200, which includes one year's salary for oversight of the systems. These systems serve approximately 1,800 individuals. Father Cronin's approval will allow us to provide an additional 300 systems at cost of $12,500, which will provide clean water for between 2,100 and 3,000 additional individuals.
Although we may never hear direct words of gratitude from our sister parishioners for saving and improving their lives, your support of Ste. Therese is most generous and remarkable, and is truly God's work! Thank you for your continued commitment to help, in many ways, our Haitian brothers and sisters.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Update Gift of Water Training, Int'l Shipment
Greetings!
Below is an email that contains the Gift of Water Training Report that was sent to our Chair Mike Mercurio on Monday. I did eliminate some of the copy in the email and made a few small edits here and there..
You will also find a bit of news on the International Shipment so please read on and...Enjoy!
--------
Gift of Water Training
Hello,
My name is Laura Moehling, I am working with Pete Murphy with Gift of Water.
I assisted Lamothe Lormier and the Master Technicians with the training of the technicians in Port Au Prince a few weeks ago.
I have to first say what an honor it was to spend the week with your technicians. They truly are bright, hard working and passionate men and women. They were eager to learn, participate, study and return home to teach their families what they have learned.
I have a degree in Biochemistry and was honestly a bit worried at the level to which Lamothe suggested we teach the class. I am happy to say, that I was wrong. Each one of the technicians not only paid attention and took notes during class, but studied outside the classroom as well.
Each afternoon session consisted of not only hands on use of the purifiers but also an opportunity for each technician to "teach" the group as well... Demonstrating his or her's knowledge of the material and how they would present that to their families. I sat with a smile on my face and wished that each of you could be there. I was very impressed at their level of intelligence and their understanding of the material.
The group dynamics were great; the technicians had time to play dominoes and talk in the evening. The experienced technicians shared information with each other and with the new technicians (I thought this was invaluable). With members of the GOW Board (myself and Karen Jung), the Country Liaison; Lamothe and the 3 Master Technicians as well as the 11 technicians all coming together for the week it made for a real sense of unity and excitement in the role each of us plays in bringing clean water to the people we serve.
Again, I thought of each of you and how you belonged in that venue as well.. adding the final piece of the puzzle! No one of us can bring clean water to Haiti... It takes each one of us, playing our role to make this vision a reality.
------------------------
International Shipment
FYI - The forms for this year's International Shipment have arrived. Mike Mercurio tells me that that we should be gearing up for this effort very soon. Stay tuned!
-----------------------
Share the Blog
If you cross paths with someone who is interested in some of the activities we are involved with our sister parish in Haiti, please have them come visit the blog.
http://www.stmaryhaiti.blogspot.com
-----------------------
Bye for now,
Andy
Below is an email that contains the Gift of Water Training Report that was sent to our Chair Mike Mercurio on Monday. I did eliminate some of the copy in the email and made a few small edits here and there..
You will also find a bit of news on the International Shipment so please read on and...Enjoy!
--------
Gift of Water Training
Hello,
My name is Laura Moehling, I am working with Pete Murphy with Gift of Water.
I assisted Lamothe Lormier and the Master Technicians with the training of the technicians in Port Au Prince a few weeks ago.
I have to first say what an honor it was to spend the week with your technicians. They truly are bright, hard working and passionate men and women. They were eager to learn, participate, study and return home to teach their families what they have learned.
I have a degree in Biochemistry and was honestly a bit worried at the level to which Lamothe suggested we teach the class. I am happy to say, that I was wrong. Each one of the technicians not only paid attention and took notes during class, but studied outside the classroom as well.
Each afternoon session consisted of not only hands on use of the purifiers but also an opportunity for each technician to "teach" the group as well... Demonstrating his or her's knowledge of the material and how they would present that to their families. I sat with a smile on my face and wished that each of you could be there. I was very impressed at their level of intelligence and their understanding of the material.
The group dynamics were great; the technicians had time to play dominoes and talk in the evening. The experienced technicians shared information with each other and with the new technicians (I thought this was invaluable). With members of the GOW Board (myself and Karen Jung), the Country Liaison; Lamothe and the 3 Master Technicians as well as the 11 technicians all coming together for the week it made for a real sense of unity and excitement in the role each of us plays in bringing clean water to the people we serve.
Again, I thought of each of you and how you belonged in that venue as well.. adding the final piece of the puzzle! No one of us can bring clean water to Haiti... It takes each one of us, playing our role to make this vision a reality.
------------------------
International Shipment
FYI - The forms for this year's International Shipment have arrived. Mike Mercurio tells me that that we should be gearing up for this effort very soon. Stay tuned!
-----------------------
Share the Blog
If you cross paths with someone who is interested in some of the activities we are involved with our sister parish in Haiti, please have them come visit the blog.
http://www.stmaryhaiti.blogspot.com
-----------------------
Bye for now,
Andy
Friday, February 4, 2011
Letter from Chair MikeM to Father Bertrand
Greetings!
My apologies for being delinquent in updating the blog. Below is the letter that Mike Mercurio wrote to Father Bertrand. Valerie Carlson translated the letter into French.
----------------------
Dear Father,
I hope you and the parishioners of Ste. Therese are doing as well as can be expected. I am glad to know cholera has not spread to Marbial. I am happy to advise you of the following:
During the week of February 7, St. Mary will be sending to you $6,500 intended specifically for education. This brings our four year total for education to $24,303.
As you know, we recently provided Ste. Therese 225 water purification systems to be distributed as determined by you. It is my understanding that Lamont visited your parish during December and that last week your local technician was trained in Port-Au-Prince. Please know that St. Mary has authorized a second technician from Marbial to be trained later this month. We are very excited to be working with Gift of Water, and it is our hope to continue providing clean water systems to our sister parish for many years to come.
We were most disappointed to delay our second medical mission due to our concerns regarding cholera. We were very concerned that surgical patients returning from Jacmel to Marbial might bring with them this serious disease. We could simply not take that chance. We will return during January or February of 2012.
We will be, once again, sending to you a shipment of various items which should arrive during June. I will be asking Domond for suggestions--please let him know what items you may need most.
As for a new vehicle (SUV) I remember when Dr. Garvey, Joan, and I first visited Ste. Therese you told us of an organization in Germany (similar to Catholic Relief Services) which would provide funds equal to seventy-five percent of the cost of a new vehicle if the local priest could provide the remaining twenty-five percent. Considering how generous the people of St. Mary have been to date I feel, at this time, I do not want to actively solicit contributions for a new vehicle: however, I do want to help you obtain one. If you will kindly provide me with the name and address of this organization I will solicit private donations for this important undertaking.
Lastly, and MOST importantly, on behalf of Father Cronin and the St. Mary Twinning Committee, I would like to extend to you a warm invitation to visit St. Mary. sometime during the Lenten Season (April 7 thru April 11). I know you and Domond are not fond of cold weather but temperatures in CT should be moderate during this period. Please know that we feel it is most important that we visit you once a year or you visit us once a year so that we can continue and extend the generosity St. Mary has displayed for Ste. Therese.
May God always bless you and the Haitian people.
With warmest regards and respect,
Mike
--------
My apologies for being delinquent in updating the blog. Below is the letter that Mike Mercurio wrote to Father Bertrand. Valerie Carlson translated the letter into French.
----------------------
Dear Father,
I hope you and the parishioners of Ste. Therese are doing as well as can be expected. I am glad to know cholera has not spread to Marbial. I am happy to advise you of the following:
During the week of February 7, St. Mary will be sending to you $6,500 intended specifically for education. This brings our four year total for education to $24,303.
As you know, we recently provided Ste. Therese 225 water purification systems to be distributed as determined by you. It is my understanding that Lamont visited your parish during December and that last week your local technician was trained in Port-Au-Prince. Please know that St. Mary has authorized a second technician from Marbial to be trained later this month. We are very excited to be working with Gift of Water, and it is our hope to continue providing clean water systems to our sister parish for many years to come.
We were most disappointed to delay our second medical mission due to our concerns regarding cholera. We were very concerned that surgical patients returning from Jacmel to Marbial might bring with them this serious disease. We could simply not take that chance. We will return during January or February of 2012.
We will be, once again, sending to you a shipment of various items which should arrive during June. I will be asking Domond for suggestions--please let him know what items you may need most.
As for a new vehicle (SUV) I remember when Dr. Garvey, Joan, and I first visited Ste. Therese you told us of an organization in Germany (similar to Catholic Relief Services) which would provide funds equal to seventy-five percent of the cost of a new vehicle if the local priest could provide the remaining twenty-five percent. Considering how generous the people of St. Mary have been to date I feel, at this time, I do not want to actively solicit contributions for a new vehicle: however, I do want to help you obtain one. If you will kindly provide me with the name and address of this organization I will solicit private donations for this important undertaking.
Lastly, and MOST importantly, on behalf of Father Cronin and the St. Mary Twinning Committee, I would like to extend to you a warm invitation to visit St. Mary. sometime during the Lenten Season (April 7 thru April 11). I know you and Domond are not fond of cold weather but temperatures in CT should be moderate during this period. Please know that we feel it is most important that we visit you once a year or you visit us once a year so that we can continue and extend the generosity St. Mary has displayed for Ste. Therese.
May God always bless you and the Haitian people.
With warmest regards and respect,
Mike
--------
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Bits & Pieces Update for Jan 20
Greetings!
My apologies in being a bit tardy on this post. I try to update the blog at least once a week. Between the weather and my wife Diane falling on the ice and hurting her head it's been a bit hectic lately this week.
Diane is OK. They closed her wound with staples. I told her I can now call her Diane-kenstein....I must say that having staples on one's head looks strange.
Here is the email Mike sent out the other day before our cancelled meeting.
----------------------
Hi Everyone,
I have just arrived home from dealing with this miserable weather. I am going to cancel tonight's meeting as there is nothing that needs to be discussed tonight. In lieu of rescheduling, I will provide information tomorrow regarding education, clean water, the delayed medical mission. the next International Shipment, P/R, and other important matters. Please send me your comments about any committee matter. Thanks. Mike.
Best regards,
Mike
---------------------
I hope everyone had the opportunity to see the article written about our group in the Connecticut Post the other day. Props to Valerie for making it happen.
As always if you would like something posted on the blog please email me the content.
Otherwise...
Bye for now,
Andy
My apologies in being a bit tardy on this post. I try to update the blog at least once a week. Between the weather and my wife Diane falling on the ice and hurting her head it's been a bit hectic lately this week.
Diane is OK. They closed her wound with staples. I told her I can now call her Diane-kenstein....I must say that having staples on one's head looks strange.
Here is the email Mike sent out the other day before our cancelled meeting.
----------------------
Hi Everyone,
I have just arrived home from dealing with this miserable weather. I am going to cancel tonight's meeting as there is nothing that needs to be discussed tonight. In lieu of rescheduling, I will provide information tomorrow regarding education, clean water, the delayed medical mission. the next International Shipment, P/R, and other important matters. Please send me your comments about any committee matter. Thanks. Mike.
Best regards,
Mike
---------------------
I hope everyone had the opportunity to see the article written about our group in the Connecticut Post the other day. Props to Valerie for making it happen.
As always if you would like something posted on the blog please email me the content.
Otherwise...
Bye for now,
Andy
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