Dear Members:

I hope your summer has been pleasant and restful.  We will have our
first meeting of the season on September 12th in the St. Denis/St.
Columba school library at 7 PM.  Among the many topics of discussion
will be the computerization of client records, rental of a truck and the
food closet inventory.  I would like to extend a thank you to the
members and junior members who have worked at the closet this summer.
We appreciate the help restocking, cleaning and rotating inventory.

This brings up some points to remember about our food pantry:

1.  The closet is a joint effort.  Please help to keep it tidy.

2.  It is a difficult task to maintain a full inventory.  Please take
whatever your client family needs but remember there will be another
member needing supplies for their client coming in right after you.

3.  If possible when something is out of stock on the shelves, please
open a case from underneath the shelves and restock the item.  If you
are taking from cases under the shelves because you think it is fresher
-- it is not.  More than likely it all came off the same pallet at the
Regional Food Bank.

4.  This year our grants have declined by $3800.00.  We have to be
sensitive to the fact that our treasury will have to make up the
shortfall or we will have to cut back.

5.  If you are feeding a client family every two weeks, please do not
give long-term items such as sugar, oil, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. every
visit.

Obviously, we all want to do the very best job we can for our clients.
Hopefully by working together we can accomplish this goal.

This year we have the school supplies for our clients in the food
closet.  Please distribute to the client children when you
pack their food items.

A REMINDER
 We are having a mass said at St. Denis for John Perrino on October 19,
2001 at 9 AM.

 A HISTORY LESSON

Our Society was originally formed in Paris, France by Blessed Frederic
Ozanam.  The Society took as its patron the 16th century saint Vincent
de Paul.  Blessed Ozanam lived from 1813 to 1853.  He was a model
teacher, scholar, husband and father.  Committed to the principles of
democracy, Ozanam favored a French Republic that supported the poor not
just the rich.  At this time in France, there were great changes from an
agricultural society to an industrial one and this brought on many
economical and social problems for the general population.
In 1833, Ozanam and some like-minded students at the University of Paris
formed the Conference of Charity to spread the ideals of social justice.
By 1835, the Society had its own official rule and a new official
name-- The St. Vincent de Paul Society.
After Frederic's marriage, he and his wife devoted themselves to a life
of good works.  Together they lived a truly Christian life of faith,
hope and love.  He dreamed of "embracing the whole world in a network of
charity."  As members of the St. Denis/St. Columba/Blessed Kateri
Conference, we carry on his aims every day in Hopewell Junction.
On June 25, 1996, Pope John Paul II signed the decree beatifying the
Venerable Frederic Ozanam.

We send out approximately five newsletters per year.  Please let me know
what topics you would like to read about in the future.

CALENDAR OF 2001 MEETINGS

SEPTEMBER 12
OCTOBER 10
NOVEMBER 14
DECEMBER 12

God bless you,
Carole Grafer