The Society of St. Vincent de Paul honored three volunteers at its annual ceremony which was held this year at St. Patrick Church.
Awards at the Feb. 10 event were presented to Dick Scherrer of St. Agnes Church’s St. Vincent de Paul Conference; Martha Thomas of St. Rita Church’s conference; and Wanda Binder of the St. Paul Church conference.
In a press release from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, its executive director, Ed Wnorowski, noted that “the stories of the daily struggles of those who come to us for help never get easier to hear or less challenging to serve.”
“We are here to say ‘thank you’ for all that (the volunteers) have done and will continue to do because of your Vincentian spirit and hearts.”
Scherrer received the Top Hat Award, the highest honor presented by St. Vincent de Paul’s Conference Affairs Committee. The award goes to the Vincentian who most exemplifies the spirit of the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s founder, Frederick Ozanam.
Scherrer has served as co-chair of the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s annual Santa Shop, and also leads Christmas-basket delivery each holiday season. Last Christmas, 170 families received baskets because of his efforts, the news release said.
Martha Thomas was presented the Ozanam Medallion which is given, according to the release, “to an individual who serves as a role model for other Vincentians and who is also an inspiration to the broader faith community.”
Thomas has been making home visits for more than 10 years, delivers food baskets during the holidays and volunteers in the Open Hand Kitchen and at the Santa Shop.
Wanda Binder was named winner of the St. Vincent Award for “dedicating her life to offering nonjudgmental and supportive service to people in need,” the release said. She has been a volunteer with the St. Vincent de Paul Society since 2000. She makes home visits, delivers food baskets, and receives incoming calls for assistance at her conference office — often handling as many as 90 calls a month, according to the news release.
In addition to the awards, Irv Lambert of the St. Ignatius Church conference, was recognized for his 15 years of service on the society’s board of directors. Twenty-six people were inducted as Vincentians into the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. They are:
Margie Guetig and Mary Jo Horlander from Holy Spirit Church; Loretta Aberli, Beverly Beckman, Art Crotty, Phillip Lawver, Susan Means, Kermit Scarlott, Sherril Scheid and Kathy Stoess from Holy Trinity Church; Amy Brown, Lisa Copple, Rebecca Crum and Carol Tyler from St. Anthony of Padua Church.
Jim Fields, Suzanne Fields and Rosetta Powers from St. Lawrence Church; Regina Wagner from St. Leonard Church; Carol Claire, Eileen Dougherty and Donna Zutt from St. Patrick Church.
Teresa Pacheco and Maureen Welch from St. Paul Church and Paul Hatkie and John Jones from St. Peter the Apostle Church.
