Hi, Community Outreach Members,
 


>
>
> MINUTES               Community Outreach Commission/IHN Meeting
>
> DATE                     2/12/04
>
> TIME                      7:00 PM
>
> ATTENDING           Donna Howell
>                              Pat Heery
>                              Andrea Moran
>                              Dianne Rzewnicki
>                              Jan Benner
>                              Bill Cavanaugh
>                              Yolanda Obando
>                               Don Barrett
>
> OPEN                     Meeting opened with the Lord's Prayer.
>
> IHN                        The majority of the COC meeting concentrated on
> preparations under way for the arrival of IHN guests February 22.  A cameo
> appearance by Fr. Jack helped to resolve some questions relating to signs
and rest
> room usage during scheduled religious services at the church IHN week.
>
> MINISTRY REPORTS
>
>                             As a follow up to discussion at the 11/13/03
> meeting, Don Barrett started the contact of COC ministries to get an
assessment of
> ministry activity and needs.  The following was the initial result.
>
> MOBILE MEALS - Chair, Pat Vitt
> This ministry currently has 30 IHM volunteers. They serve the first Monday
of
> the month. A compliment of 18 volunteers is needed on IHM's designated
Monday
> to service the nine routes in the territory served.  Volunteers work in
teams
> of two.  There is an assigned captain each month who organizes the
> volunteers.  There are four captains.  They rotate responsibility.  They
are always open
> to new volunteers.  There were no new candidates following the last
> stewardship weekend.  Pat would be willing to help organize Mobile Meal
volunteers to
> assist manning the stewardship table next time.  Food for the program is
> provided by faith communities and individuals and not the government.  She
did not
> know how or if IHM was contributing to the program.  She liked the idea of
> periodic bulletin messages inviting new volunteers.  This committee
currently
> needs no assistance from the Commission.  We should include Pat in COC
meeting
> minutes distribution.
>
> OPEN DOOR SHELTER - Chair, Judi Maerlender
> Judy currently has about 54 volunteers.  She is normally OK September
through
> May.  Tough months for volunteers are June, July, Aug.  The committee is
> broken down into four teams.  The teams prepare the food. There are four
items on
> the menu - green beans - ham - macaroni and desert.  Each team delivers
one
> item one night each month, rotating the items.  On the night green beams
are
> served that team is likewise responsible for serving the meal.  Because of
the
> poor economy Judy has had a decline in the number of volunteers this past
year.
> The decline comes during a time of increased activity at Open Door
Ministry.
> We learned not all guests at ODM are homeless.  Some are there because
they
> make a decision between rent or food.  The more volunteers Judy has the
lighter
> the load (time and money wise) for her volunteers.  The best way we can
help
> this ministry is to assist Judy with volunteer recruitment, otherwise the
> ministry is functioning well on it's own.  Judi should receive minutes of
future
> COC meetings, to be kept up to date with the Commission's big picture.
>
> MARYFIELD VOLUNTEERS - Chair, Grace Zambo
> Grace has just a few volunteers at present.  A few are from Young at Hart.
> There are also a few individuals and KofC volunteers.  Don Barrett has
learned
> there may be some new opportunities developing here for service in 2004.
He
> will continue to track and advise.
>
> YOUNG AT HART - Chair, Grace Zambo
> This is an active senior group. It presently has 40 members.  They are
> involved in a variety of spiritual, social and travel activities.  They
represent a
> potential source for parish volunteers.
>
> SENIOR WHEELS - IHM Chair, Grace Zambo
> Grace not certain about the present number of IHM volunteers involved.
People
> wishing to volunteers should initiate contact through Grace so we can do a
> better job of tracking our volunteer activity and the need for same.  Don
> volunteers and gets called about once every five to six weeks, so the
demand on time
> is not heavy, but the rewards are great.
> Those in need, who are served by this great ministry are most grateful.
It's
> a wonderful opportunity to reach out to a special corner of our community.
>
> The plan is to continue these Committee/Ministry reports in future COC
> meetings.  Eventually it is hoped we can get some of the chairs to join us
for the
> monthly meetings.
>
> Two new candidate volunteers have expressed interest in joining the
> Commission. They are Amy Ceil and Karen Chapman.  Their names have been
turned over to
> Dianne Rzewnicki for possible initial assistance with the IHN program.
>
> PROTECTING GOD'S CHILDREN -    All IHM/IHN volunteers are now being
contacted
> and advised of the need for compliance with Church requirements to
> participate in a training and background investigation when volunteering
for ministries
> that bring them in contact with children or young adults.
>
> END
>
> PENDING ISSUES/ACTIVITIES
>
>    Consider the   High Point Life Chair in 2004   (10/30)
>
>    Prepare questions for IHN regarding new fund raising attempts  (10/03)
>
>    Continue committee/ministrie reviews and reports.  (11/04)
>
>     Bring IHN ministry into complete compliance with Church requirements
for
> "Protect
>     God's Children.
>
> Copies:   Fr. Jack Kelly
>               Pat Vitt
>               Judi Maerlender
>               Grace Zambo
>               Mike Dehaan
>               Mike Sheehan
>               Ann Marie
>
>                Larry
>