Quote of the Month
“Joy is prayer; joy is strength; joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” — St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta
President’s Corner
All of us at New Eve look back with gratitude and joy on another year of welcoming children into the world (45 so far!) and into our two loving homes with their mothers. We thank God and you, our supporter, for making room for them at the inn.
We are happy that our New Eve story was recently told in the Winchester Star newspaper. Here is the link. Thanks to the Star for their interest in us.
We remember with thankfulness and fondness our beloved founder Joanne Seale who went home to the Lord this year. Without her and Mary Martinez, there would be no New Eve Maternity Home. We are blessed with our current Director Christina Muller and Assistant Director Dianne Barkey who are faithfully following in their footsteps.
(from left to right: Dianne Barkey,
Joanne Seale, and Christina Muller)
Thanks to the Berryville Knights of Columbus and their wives, our two houses are decorated inside and out for Christmas, and our mothers and children are loving it and eagerly anticipating their annual Christmas party and opening of gifts.
And our Knights of Columbus Baby Bottle Campaigns have again brought in many donations ranging from bottles with a few coins, those stuffed with currency, to those with large checks. We know that all those bottles were also filled with love from the people in Winchester and Berryville and we thank them all and my magnificent Brother Knights of Columbus whose local Councils also give us financial donations. After ten years of Baby Bottle Campaigns, I am also thankful to my wonderful wife Susan who created the Baby Bottle Campaign. It has been vital in helping us grow and support more babies and mothers. Susan’s support of me and New Eve has also been vital.
Inspired by our New Eve mentors and housemothers, several of our mothers have joined Victory Church and Sacred Heart of Jesus Church and have given talks of Christian witness in Church.
Our Tuesday night programs for our mothers are continuing under the leadership of Phyllis Miller with a new educational and enjoyable presentation each week. Would you be able to give a presentation? One of our presenters, Anne Ziolkowski, applied for and obtained a grant for us from her employer KPMG International. Many businesses offer grants to nonprofit organizations, so maybe your employer does, as well.
The annual United Way Day of Caring comes to New Eve every year, and this year they painted the exterior of the sunroom on one of our houses and replaced old wood trim. The team from Green Bay Packaging was lead by Sacred Heart Church’s Deacon Rich Vossler and long time volunteers Fred and Sherry Riley. They worked enthusiastically for 12 hours. Thank you to the team and Green Bay and United Way.
(from left to right: Dcn. Rich Vossler,
Fred Riley, Mike Dickey, and Pam Hileman)
Our volunteers are a blessing. The kids from Trail Life, American Heritage Girls, and Chelsea Academy have done a great job with lawn mowing and landscaping. Sheila Betit has for many years now managed our database. And that “Renaissance man” Jim Gironda has performed countless handyman projects at our houses. He knows how to do everything. We need a few more like him. And the dedicated group of baby sitters are a tremendous help to our mothers.
Our all-volunteer housemothers and mentors continue to inspire and amaze me with their energy and commitment.
We always need volunteers. So, if you would like to be a part of something that makes you feel really good, please contact us through our website.
Thank you for your gifts of money, baby and mother material needs, and—most importantly—your gifts of prayer.
Here is a link to the donations section on our website which shows the many ways you can help us. New Eve relies entirely upon your private donations and private grants.
I want to share with you a recent message from Christina to our housemothers, mentors, and volunteers who strive to help our mothers and children, many of whom come to us with troubled past lives and without the advantages and upbringing that you and I often take for granted. Her message is very encouraging to me, and I hope it is to you, also:
“While we hope that our residents rise to the occasion and improve on their cleaning skills, organizational skills, time management skills, balancing parenting and working skills, and all other skills we are throwing at them, the likelihood is that we will only see small victories, if any. The most effective means we have to assist these ladies in becoming the best version of themselves is to patiently remind and encourage. I remember our founder Joanne Seale and I discussing this at length shortly after I began as a house mom. She wisely explained that despite our hope to see great changes in these women, that shouldn’t be our focus. She said God works through us in the quietest of ways and we may never know the fruit of our labor. More than likely, one small act of kindness we might have shared with one of these children on one of our house visits might have completely changed the trajectory of that child’s life. Let us bring a sense of holy joy to our service to these women who are with us just a short time. I leave you with a quote from Mother Theresa: “Joy is prayer; joy is strength; joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.”
I wish you a happy and blessed Advent.
God bless you,
Cabell
