News and Happenings

22% Increase in Community Service

This year the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fond du Lac County celebrates its 75th anniversary with a record high $172,160 given in direct services during its past fiscal year that ended September 30.  That represents a $30,560 or 22% increase in help to people in the county over the previous year. The bottom line is that more people in need received assistance for food, rent or utilities as well as a listening ear.   

The actual statistics show that $81,073 helped people pay their rent, $44,284 went toward utility bills, $39,660 assisted families to put food on their tables and $7,143 helped pay miscellaneous expenses such as medical or travel costs.
 
“This year 98% of the money raised stayed right here in the county,” Society Council President Don Mueller explains. “Since we are a totally volunteer Society, our administrative expenses are minimal and 95% went to direct assistance. Donations from people of good will is our greatest income source and we often beg since the needs have increased so much.”

A unique characteristic of the Society, founded in 1833, is home visits.  Pairs of volunteer members go into homes at people’s request.  In 2009, society members visited 2,221 homes, an increase of 203 over the previous year.  Those numbers do not reflect other visits by members to prisons, hospitals, and the elderly. Mueller reports, “We serve our needy neighbors without regard to race, creed, national origins, age or gender.  Only about 20% of the people we visit belong to the Catholic Church.  We encourage those we visit to have a relationship with God and to participate in the religion of their choice.  Our eligibility norms are flexible so we refuse no one in real need.”

“St. Vinny’s, as people like to refer to our thrift store at 573 W. Rolling Meadows Drive in Fond du Lac, is the public face of the Society in the county,” Mueller said.  “We are very grateful to community members who give us quality used clothing, household goods, and furniture.  We either give these items away to people in need ($23,699 worth this year), or we sell them and use the profits for our services.  It is so heartening when we can help out people with these items when we see firsthand their dire needs through our visits.  All the store profits benefit the needy of the county, to the tune of $69,982 this year.”

People needing emergency help can call the Society’s hotline number at 920-922-3650.

COUNCIL JOYFULLY ESTABLISHES THE PAT O’HEARN SERVICE AWARD

At the special 75th anniversary celebration of the Society in Fond du Lac County, the first annual Pat O’Hearn Service Award will be presented.

Patricia O’Hearn died on March 6, 2005. Pat married James T. O’Hearn and they had eleven children, three of whom preceded her in death. They farmed in the Town of Eldorado until their retirement.

After Jim’s death, Pat became involved in the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Because of her firsthand relationship with the poor, she was influential in starting Loaves and Fishes and Bethany House (now Solutions Center). Her involvement included Broken Bread, Samaritan Clinic, the County Jail, New Beginnings and Morality in Media.

Throughout her life, Pat demonstrated a strong love and close relationship with God. She seemed always ready to help others, in her quiet, compassionate and unassuming way. The poor and the homeless held a special place in Pat’s heart.

Her energy and passion seemed limitless. Besides the poor, she was dedicated to family as wife, mother, grandmother, great-grand-mother, aunt and sister.

Gone but not forgotten, Pat’s memory continues to inspire many and therefore the Society locally wants to honor Fond du Lac’s own “Mother Teresa.”

The criteria for the Pat O’Hearn Service Award state: The person must demonstrate compassion, a history of serving those in need in our community, a strong sense of justice and excel in integrity and humility. Pat’s close friend and companion in action, Dorothy Klumpyan, has been chosen as the first recipient.