Reach Benefit Dinner

Hi Everyone! Well, Reach is as busy as ever. This week was our
annual benefit dinner. We had 180 people come to support us
and it was a great night.

The team members worked hard to help us get ready...as you can
see from the pics. Setting up the room, washing 150 wine glasses
(twice!) and blowing up about 200 balloons! Not to mention
serving food and clearing plates all night. They worked really
hard and did a great job.




After eating a lovely meal from 901 Pasta it was on to the
program. We invited Fr. Justin Brady...a former Reacher
who is now a priest in the Diocese of Boise. It was
wonderful having him for the event. He was inspiring
and heartfelt. But personally when I think of Fr. Justin
I have a vivid memory of a karaoke night years ago where he
sang...well...performed really, a Michael Jackson song.
I'm not sure I've ever laughed harder!
Hearing him speak at the dinner though did remind me of
how thankful I am that God brought Reach into my life.
I don't know where I would be without it.

The team did their drama Faith or Not Faith...a take off
on Deal or not Deal about how you can't pick and choose
the parts of the faith you want to follow.


Finally...the highlight of the night...the Sevigny
Girls performed a medely of songs from the Sound of
music, changing the lyrics to encourage people to
donate to REACH. Who wouldn't give something
after hearing five cute girls sing these lyrics to
the tune of "DO RE MI":

Donate money, cash or check
Raise it for their room and board
Meet their needs for food and drink
Following the steps of Christ
Souls are what their going to save
Lots of cash is what they need
Teaching them the ways of Christ
That will bring us back to donate money...

Thank you to Meghan, Monica, Molly Jo,
Mary Grace, and Malia Sevigny. We appreciate you
using your talent to make our event even better.


In the end...people were generous and we are thankful
We still need more help to take Reach where we feel God
is leading us but for today I would simply like to say
"Thank You"...to all who pray for us, donate to us, and love
our teams. May God Truly Bless You.

Laura

San Diego Baby!

I just got back from visiting the Our Lady of Fatima Team in San Diego/Vista/Escondido/Ramona, CA and I had a great time. It no only was great to see them but so good to get away to the palm trees and ocean air.

In Vista we stayed with Michelle Barton's (of the Lourdes team) family and it was a real blessing. I definitely saw were she gets many of her personality traits and her tendency not to wear shoes! They were very good to us and the food was great. I wish I would have taken some pictures there but I didn't.

After that we were in Escondido with the legendary Marcial Lopez...He is now the DRE/Youth Minster at Immaculate Conception parish in Ramona. We has a retreat / St. Patricks Day celebration with his parish...this I did get pictures of!

We decorated the hall with many things green and the retreat began with a green food relay. Mint ice cream, green jello, frozen peas, and green bean baby food! Christina took one for the team and downed the baby food like a champ...and personally I thought it was disgusting! Mark Raine gave it a good try, too.
It was a fun retreat and great kids.

All in all it was great to hang out with Fatima gang. They informed me they have something like 48 days left on this trip (but who's counting?) and God is using them for His good. As He always does.

The first picture is of me and the girls at our host home in Escondido. Tom and Marianne are a wonderful couple! Thanks to all of you out there who take good care of our Reach teams.

I pray you all have a wonderful and blessed Holy Week!

READ this BLOG...The Sequel!

Hi Everyone and Happy 2008! Things here at Reach have been moving right along. It's hard to believe the teams are starting the second half of the year! As I write the Our Lady of Lourdes team is in Anchorage, Alaska! I went with the team last year and it was beautiful but COLD! The Our Lady of Fatima Team is getting ready to embark on the Southwest trip. They leave Friday for Winnemucca, Nevada!! After that on to New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California... The Our Lady of Guadalupe Team starts the second half of the year with leading a local youth group tomorrow night and after that will be doing ministry all over Washington, Oregon and the rest of the Northwest.

It's also the time of year we need to start thinking about next year's teams...please pray for us as we seek out who God is calling for next year...and pray they will be led to us! If you are interested or know someone who is download everything you need to apply HERE... We need great Catholic young adult to continue ministering to youth all over the country! It's an experience like no other...pray about it.

That's all for now. God Bless and I'll try to be better about blogging more often...for the 3 of you who read this! :-)

In Him,
Laura

Short and Sweet

Where does the time go?
Next week is Thanksgiving already!

The Reach teams are in the midst of their ministry and we continue to be in awe of the good people we meet along the way.

Just so you know:

New pics for all the teams on the media page!

Also the teams have been blogging...check them out!

And the updated application is online...download it and apply today!

Keep us in your prayers! We appreciate it.

That's all for today. Not exciting, I know, but hopefully informative.

In Him,
Laura