Working, Praying, and Living in the Spirit of Vincent DePaul

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Fall 2003

The 2003-2004 group of Gateway Vincentian Volunteers (GVVs) arrived in St. Louis on August 10 to begin their year of working, praying, and living in the spirit of St. Vincent DePaul.

On Sunday evening, volunteers gathered to celebrate the Eucharist with Fr. Jim Swift, C.M., Provincial of the Midwest Province of the Congregation of the Mission. After mass, volunteers began to get to know one another over dinner. Orientation sessions began on Monday morning and continued through Friday. Presenters included Sr. Jackie Toben, SSND (and several women from the area who shared first-hand experience about the difficulties of living in poverty), Dr. Ken Parker, Sr. Kieran Kneaves, D.C., Sr. Sharon Horace, D.C., and Fr. David Nations, C.M.

Volunteers also participated in a Team Building Day sponsored by the YMCA. Throughout the day, volunteers, directors, and Fr. David Nations, C.M., were challenged to work as a group to complete tasks–many of them quite frustrating! After each task, the YMCA facilitator helped the group process what had happened and think about how they might apply what they learned to their life in community during the coming year.

On Monday, August 18, 2003, the GVVs began their new jobs. Amy Arendt began work at Our Lady’s Inn. Brian Kelly reported to Covenant House Missouri, Christy Leming to Marian Middle School (actually, Christy began teaching at Marian several weeks before the GVV program officially began), Jennifer Leon to St. Vincent DePaul Parish, Jeremy Dixon to Guardian Angel Settlement Association, Molly Jacob to St John’s Mercy Neighborhood Ministry, and Stephanie Demarest to Community Alternatives. Volunteers will work full-time through June.

Throughout the year, volunteers will be presented with opportunities to learn about the Vincentian charism, deepen their spirituality, learn from their work with people in poverty, and increase their awareness of issues of social justice.

Dear Friends of the Gateway Vincentian Volunteers Program,

We’ve begun another year with a wonderful group of young adults committed to a year of service with people living in poverty. Each volunteer has brought unique gifts, talents, and energy that will help them as they begin their work with those who are poor in St. Louis.

We are grateful to the Midwest Province of the Congregation of the Mission for their support of the Gateway Vincentian Volunteers program. We are also grateful to the many people who have helped us in the past year by making financial contributions. Every donation helps us move the program toward self-sufficiency.

We are especially grateful to Bill and Mary Lou Schicker and Tricia Theil, their daughter and GVV board member, for hosting the first official Gateway Vincentian Volunteers Picnic. On May 24, 2003, about 100 people visited the Schicker Farm in St. Clair for a delicious barbecue. The event raised more than $3,500 for the GVV program. Many thanks to all who attended or who were not able to attend but made contributions anyway!

We ask that you remember the Gateway Vincentian Volunteers in your prayers this year. We’ve included a prayer (below) that you may want to use.

Loving God, shower your blessings on the Gateway Vincentian Volunteers during their year of service to the poor and marginalized in South St. Louis. Grant them the grace to live a simple, prayerful life in community with one another and with the Vincentians of the Arsenal Street Residence. Grant that they may learn to see the face of Christ in each person they serve this year. Grant too that they become a vital part of the Vincentian Family, with a lifelong commitment to serving those in need. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Gateway Vincentian Volunteers Program

Meet the Volunteers!

Amy Arendt

Amy comes to the Gateway Vincentian Volunteers from Lindsay, Texas. She is a graduate of Texas Woman’s University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders as well as a Bachelor of Science in Sociology.

Amy works at Our Lady’s Inn, a shelter for pregnant women and their children.

Brian Kelly

Brian is from Redlands, California. He graduated from the University of California, Riverside, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Relations.

Brian works at Covenant House Missouri, an agency that provides a variety of services for at-risk, homeless, and runaway youth.

Christy Leming

Christy is from Sparta, Illinois. She graduated from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Education. Last year Christy taught English at Calloway County High School in Murray.

Christy’s GVV position is at Marian Middle School, a Nativity-model middle school for impoverished girls. Christy serves as an English and Reading teacher.

Jennifer Leon

Jennifer is from Birmingham, Alabama. She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. After graduation from college, Jennifer taught for three years at a Catholic elementary school in Alabama.

Jennifer’s position is at St. Vincent DePaul Parish. Jennifer works with Let’s Start, a support process for women coming out of prison, and Learning Club, an after-school educational intervention program for neighborhood children. Jennifer also assists with many other outreach activities of the parish, including serving meals to the hungry each month.

Jeremy Dixon

Jeremy comes to the GVV program from Chicago. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and French. After graduation, Jeremy worked for several years as a research director for a political consulting company.

Jeremy works at Guardian Angel Settlement Association, a social service agency providing many forms of assistance to people in poverty, children, and senior citizens.

Molly Jacob

Molly is from Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.

Molly works at St. John’s Mercy Neighborhood Ministry in South St. Louis. Molly assists with the Neighborhood Ministry’s many outreach programs to the underserved. Molly will also work one day a week at St. Louis Association for Retarded Citizens.

Stephanie Demarest

Stephanie is from Lake Charles, Louisiana. She graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.

Stephanie works at Community Alternatives, an agency that offers a variety of services to people with mental health problems, especially those who suffer from severe mental illness, poverty, homelessness, chemical dependency, alcoholism, and HIV/AIDS.

"Come now, let us engage ourselves with renewed love to serve the poor, and let us even seek out the poorest and most abandoned of all." - Vincent DePaul

GVV Alumni News

• Elizabeth Sain has landed a job as an editor in Chicago–exactly what she had hoped for! She is living with her sister temporarily. Rumor has it she recently joined former GVVs John Roarick and Steve Weiderkehr for dinner at their new residence in Chicago. John and Steve are in formation with the Vincentians and moved from the Arsenal Street Community in August.

• Christine Shine has begun a Master’s in Social Work program at St. Louis University. She is also working for Guardian Angel Settlement Association and the Partners Against Poverty, setting up a new Learning Club for children in the 63118 zip code.

• Karen Lyons has also begun the Master’s in Social Work program at St. Louis University. Karen is working part-time at Covenant House Missouri, her former GVV work site.

• Kellie Willis is working full-time for Guardian Angel Settlement Association, her former GVV work site. Kellie began her job at the end of August, and her first task was to train Jeremy Dixon, the new GVV volunteer assigned there. Kellie will eventually transfer to Guardian Angel Settlement’s other social service site, Hosea House.

• After spending the summer working and taking a class in St. Louis, Scott Kelly has moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where he will pursue a Master’s in Social Work at the University of Kentucky. Scott was awarded a full scholarship.

Are you interested in supporting one Gateway Vincentian Volunteer during his or her year of service? Would your parish or organization like to help?

Please let us know.

Thank you!

314-771-1474  888-771-7220  gatevol@aol.com

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Gateway Vincentian Volunteers
2912 Arsenal Street
St. Louis, MO 63118
(314) - 771-1474
Toll free: (888)-771-7220
Fax: (314) - 771-2410
email: gatevol@aol.com