HUNTERSVILLE — The Rotary Club of Lake Norman recently gave a $4,000 grant to the Alzheimer’s Respite Ministry at St. Mark Church. Father Cory Catron, parochial vicar, accepted the donation along with Respite Ministry founders and organizers Janet Urban and Susan Liuzzo and Young at Heart Ministry Coordinator Leanne Vaccaro.
St. Mark’s Alzheimer’s Respite Ministry offers caregivers a place to leave their loved ones who have early to moderate-staged Alzheimer’s for a few hours in a safe, prayerful and loving environment. Each week, a team of volunteers come together to staff and oversee the ministry. Weekly activities include a circle “share” time, craft, games, refreshments, physical activity and then prayers.
Every 68 seconds someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. With the largest aging population ever in the United States, all families will eventually be affected by this disease. “It is my dream that this ministry becomes a model for other churches to follow,” Urban says.
Another of her goals when the program began was to create a library of books, DVDs and other resources to help loved ones understand the disease and its progression. A part of the Rotary Club grant will be used for this purpose.
The ministry is offered free each Monday. Run by volunteers, it is part of the Young at Heart program at the parish coordinated by Leanne Vaccaro. Registration is required. People can register by emailing Urban at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
— Amy Burger
CHARLOTTE — On March 11, the Girl Scouts at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte held their annual Girl Scout Mass and religious awards reception for all troops sponsored by the parish.
Members of Daisy Troops 2217 and 2265 earned the God Is Love award; members of Brownie Troops 1305 and 1768 earned the Family of God award; and a member of Junior Troop 3783 earned the I Live My Faith award. Members of Daisy Troop 2217, Brownie Troops 73 and 1305, and Cadette Troop 2697 earned the My Promise, My Faith Award developed by the Girl Scouts of America. Members of Brownie Troop 73 also earned the Divine Mercy Award administered by the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas, to continue St. Faustina’s mission of spreading the message and devotion to The Divine Mercy.
Catholic religious awards were developed by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry in Washington, D.C. The parish’s Girl Scout Ministry is led by Anitra Thompson, who was also given the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Medal Diocesan Award for serving the spiritual needs of Catholic Girl Scouts. It is an award of the Department of Education and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, established in 1980.
— Nannette Gorman and Anitra Manca Thompson