Community Service
God, Country, Notre Dame The God Country, Notre Dame (GCND) Initiative was established by the University of Notre Dame Alumni Association (NDAA) and is administered by the Notre Dame Senior Alumni (NDSA). The GCND initiative was established in the Notre Dame Club of Lee County as a community service project in late 2008. It currently supports the Military Support Program of the Lee Memorial Health System. The Program provides Lee County military personal stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan with the "extras", and even basic needs, that may be in short supply in the desert. Packages consist of white socks, toilet paper, toiletries, chap stick, wipes, canned and pouched meats and fruit, snacks and magazines. These needs are met by product and monetary donations. Be sure to check "Game Watch " e-mails for the Product of the Week. Local volunteers meet monthly to pack and prepare the packages for shipping. But more importantly, these packages transmit to the troops the love and gratitude of family and friends at home while bringing maybe a little joy into their day. First of all, the generosity of the Notre Dame Club of Lee County with donations for the troops has been awesome! Some of the items already collecting is worth mentioning again. 126 TP, 116 socks, 210 T'brushes, 72 T'paste, 144 floss, 60 cans/pouches tuna, 140 pudding cups and 120 soups! I believe there are chap sticks out there too but I'm not sure of the total. For the next three weeks I would like to concentrate on Christmas. Each year we ship a bit of Christmas to the troops by including eight inch Christmas trees in their care package. We also include personalized Chirstmas cards and mini stockings filled with candy canes. Of course, every tree needs ornaments and thats what I would like to request for the next 2 gamewatches. We need mini, none glass ornaments that fit on an 8 in. tree! I usually find them in packages of 6-12 and sell for approx $1-3 in Big Lots, Walmart, etc. As you all know, these care packages are prepared by loving and caring hands with all the generous items that come from loving and caring people, like yourselves. However, the cost of mailing each box is $10.85. Unfortunately, the Post Office does not donate that. I would like to ask everyone to consider donating money at our last gamewatch to help with the cost of mailing the Christmas boxes. I am not asking for any partiuclar amount--whatever you can afford and are willing to help with would be greatly appreciated. There will be a note in each box telling the troops about the Notre Dame Club of Lee County and the wonderful support they have provided them. Thank you again for all you do to support the men and women who defend and protect us everyday. For more information on how to participate in this program, please contact God, Country, Notre Dame Coordinator, Kathy Mitchell at (239) 634-5337 or ksm1954@comcast.net. For more information on Notre Dame Senior Alumni Initiatives, go to www.ndsenioralumni.org. Hospital Support Program Established by the Notre Dame Alumni Association, the Club Hospital Support Program is intended to assist members of the Notre Dame Family (alumni, students, siblings, parents and friends of Notre Dame) when hospitalized while away from home, whether planned in advance or as the result of an accident or illness while traveling. This Committee is chaired by Tom Brenner, '59, '78. Committee members include Mary Kay Palmer, SMC '67 and John Counsell '64. Please call Tom during the week at (239) 574-0383, evenings (239) 573-8358 or cell (239) 560-6194 for more information or to join the Committee.
Community Service Project for Father Ted Hesburgh - Update Father Ted Project – May 2010 Your Notre Dame Club of Lee County will again participate in the 4th Annual Hesburgh Month of Service in May 2010 to honor Father Ted in his birth month. In the past our Cub has participated by performing community service through the Senior Friendship Centers organization, an organization founded by Father Ted’s very good friend Holy Cross Brother William Geenen. SRC, created by Bro. Geenen, C.S.C. in 1973 on a beginning budget of $79, and a donated garage, is now a multi-county, 200 employee, 1,200 volunteer nonprofit organization that provided over 130,000 meals in 2009, and further provides aging services for thousands of mature adults. Our project on May 21 and 22, 2010 will be two-fold. First is volunteers delivering a seven-pack of food in SFC vehicles, or in their own vehicle to mature individual’s homes, condos or apartments. We’ll need teams of two or three people for the food delivery project on Friday, May 21. You’ll be given a route of five or six deliveries and are asked to visit briefly with the recipient. Total time three to four hours maximum. Second is the painting project on Saturday mourning, May 22 at the Sunshine Villas in Lehigh Acres. This is one of 13 SFC neighborhood dinning sites maintained by SFC. It needs sprucing up, so we’ll paint the inside (yes, air conditioned). All materials provided, just bring your painting skills, roller and brush. Participate on either day, or both days. Community Service, meeting new ND people, richly rewarding activity and honoring Father Ted Hesburgh! Please contact John Counsell, Chairman of the Father Ted Project, May 2010 at (239) 768-0417, or email him at counsfl@comcast.net Our Club plans to do some activities with the folks at the Senior Friendship Center again this year. The Senior Friendship Center (SWC) empowers individuals, families and communities through healthy and supportative aging services, activities, education and volunteerism. Many thanks to all who came, saw and c Thanks again to everyone for your participation. It’s amazing how just a donation of time can provide so much good to people less fortunate. If anyone would like to help at SFC, contact John Counsell at (239) 768-0417 or counsfl@comcast.net.
Prostate Awareness Cancer Education (P.A.C.E.) Program This program was established by the Notre Dame Senior Alumni Group as a Community Service Project. Established as a Joint Committee with the United Irish of South West Florida, the focus of this Committee is the dissemination of information in the fight against prostate cancer. To this end, the Committee will host periodic seminars featuring local Urologists and Radiation Therapists. The Committee is Co-chaired by Jimmy Rodgers, United Irish of SW Florida (239-481-0586) and Dick Schweers, Notre Dame Club of Lee County ( 239-495-6263). Committee members are Chuck Bennett, '55 and Gene Paris. All are Prostate Cancer Survivors. Please call Jimmy or Dick for more information or to join the Committee.
Thanks to all the members and their friends who prepared and helped serve dinners at the Ronald McDonald House last year. We are looking to continue this tradition and would welcome any volunteers who wish to participate in this very worthwhile community service opportunity. We are always in need of volunteers to help with this project. We are on the calendar for the second Thursday of each month. Sev This is really a fun and easy way to give a little back to our community. The staff wants us to meet there and prepare the meal in their kitchen. The volunteers have said the food smells so good they wished they could stay too! You may choose the menu and bring the ingredients as a group for that month. If you wish, the Club will reimburse you for the meat (i.e., ham, turkey, etc.) and you provide and cook the rest of the meal. We usually do the entire cooking and set up in about 1 1/2 hours. We do not stay to serve or clean up. It is a wonderful chance to help families in distress and actually see the good we are doing. After being by the bedside of a critical child, they can come 'home' to the smells of a real dinner in the oven and relax for a while. There is also a changing "Wish List" of needed items. See the web site at www.ronaldmchouse.com.
Notre Dame Club Service Project The Notre Dame Club of Lee County is continuing the project of "people helping people" through support of the Senior Friendship Centers. Senior Friendship Centers, Inc. was founded by Brother William Geenen, CSC, Holy Cross Brothers, who recently finished six years as Provincial of Holy Cross Brothers of Notre Dame. For further information on Senior Friendship Centers access the website at www.seniorfriendship.com
African Caribbean American Center (AFCAAM) AFCAAM provides a variety of services to the African/Caribbean community. The Club supports their Youth Mentoring program, provides professional speakers for the Life Skills and Public Safety programs and supports the Center's library. For more information on the program and current activities, call the Club Hotline (239) 768-0417 or Tiny Conaton, '59 (239) 540-6620.
Notre Dame Alumni Association Presentation Medals The Club has obtained a limited number of Presentation Medals. These unique and collectible medallions are made with gold from the Dome and have been blessed by Fr. Edward A. Malloy, CSC, former President of the University of Notre Dame. They are available on a first-come basis for a donation of $11.00 (includes shipping). Proceeds will be credited to the Club's Scholarship Fund. Checks should be made payable to the Notre Dame Club of Lee County Florida and sent to: Notre Dame Club of Lee County, care of John Conaton, 131 Southwest 42nd Terrace, Cape Coral, FL 33914. You will receive your medallion by return mail.
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