Newspaper Page Text
The Georgia Bulletin, May 3,1990
SVDP Honors Volunteers
For Outstanding Service
BY RITA McINERNEY
Two dedicated Vincen
tians, Steve Kasmerski and
John Halligan, received
Top Hat awards from the
St. Vincent de Paul Society
at the society’s annual
Mass and dinner April 22 at
Our Lady of the Assump
tion Church, Atlanta.
Steve Kasmerski, of St.
John the Evangelist parish
in Hapeville, was honored
for 40 years service and
John Halligan, of Our Lady
of the Assumption, was
honored for 15 years ser
vice. The citations $re
given for “Outstanding ser
vice over a period of years
and covering a variety of
activities,” according to
Sheila Bissonnette, ex
ecutive director of the
society.
The Top Hat award, the
highest given by SVDP,
symbolizes the top hat
worn by Frederick
Ozanam, who founded the
society in Paris in the
1850s.
This is the second year
the plaques have been
given by the Atlanta
Council. The first year’s
recipients were Dick
Schweitzer of Holy Spirit,
Atlanta, and John Oberg, of
the Cathedral of Christ the
King.
In the recommendation
submitted by his parish
conference, Mr. Kasmerski
was described as reflecting
“Our Lord’s love and gen
uine concern for the poor
and their needs...He brings
an air of peace and love to
new members.. .He never
ceases trying to interest
others in this ministry,
keeping faith that SVDP
would always remain ac
tive in St. John’s to serve
the poor.”
The recommendation
notes that he first joined
SVDP at St. Anthony's
Church in the West End.
When St. John’s was
established in the early
1950s, he and Owen Wynne
and Tom Zaworski started
a conference there, work
ing with a handful of men.
Soon word got around that
St. John’s Catholic Church
was very generous, and
calls for help came from
several agencies. The
police department would
send to the rectory
travelers stranded after
their cars broke down on
nearby 1-75.
In 1952, the nomination
stated, the annual budget
showed a collection of be
tween $1,500 and $2,000.
Last year the conference
collected $20,000 and spent
$20,000.
In January of this year,
the Hapeville Chamber of
Commerce honored Mr.
Kasmerski for his many
contributions to the com
munity with particular
mention of his work with
the needy.
One active member of
the parish likes to tell about
the help given by Owen to
her family when she was a
little girl. When she would
say to her father, "We need
something to eat,” he
would reply, “Don’t worry,
the Lord will provide.” For
a long time after the SVDP
gave the family food, she
believed that the two men
were the Lord’s disciples.
Steve Kasmerski ex
plains his unceasing work
as a Vincentian simply.
“When you do work in the
Lord, it’s all joyous.”
John Halligan has served
both the OLA conference
and the Atlanta Council. He
was council president for
more than two terms, and
as such attended national
and regional meetings. He
helped develop inner-city
projects for the council. As
a member of the OLA con
ference. his unselfish ser
vice inspired other
members.
NOT JUST
GARDEN
VARIETY.
“I’d.never seen anything like
The Atrium at Georgetown Park.
Neither had my daughter. A retire
ment community with a huge garden
five stories tall planted with beautiful
flowers, ficus trees and ferns. It’s
unlike any other retirement
community in Atlanta. And most
importantly, it’s home for so many
active people”
IN THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS.
“It seems as though I’ve known
many of my neighbors for years.
They are all so friendly and there
are so many things we like to
do together”
FROM POPCORN AND
PARTIES TO BRIDGE AND
BRUNCH.
“My days are full of things to do. We
take trips, dance, play bridge, and of
course, go shopping when the mood
suits me The Atrium wellness center,
C & S Bank and beautiful dining
room give me the time to do what 1
want, not only what I need.”
IT CHANGED MY LIFE.
“Imagine what it’s like to open your
door to beautiful weather every
morning and walk through the park
to have breakfast with friends. I
honestly never believed I could be
so happy”
COME SEE FOR YOURSELF.
Call Ed or Jim at 986-1100 to
arrange for your own personal
guided tour or just stop by. Were
close to all Atlanta, at Chamblee
Dunwoody Road and T285.
THE ATRIUM
AT GEORGETOWN PARK
A Unique Retirement Community
4355 Geoigetown Square
Dunwoody, Ga 30338
986-1100
VINCENTIAN HONORED — Steve Kasmerski, of St. John the
Evangelist, Hapeville, is shown with Archbishop Eugene A. Marino,
SSJ, and Sister Marita Carmel Rondinelli, RSM, parish social action
ministry, at the annual St. Vincent de Paul Society dinner.
In recommending him
for the award, his con
ference wrote: “John has
dedicated his life to his
family and his Church and
the service of the poor. He
is an example for all
Vincentians, sacrificing
and contributing his time
and talent in the service ot
the poor.”
Certificates of recogni
tion were given members
for outstanding work in
their conferences. Recipi
ents were: Purity Thomas
and Cora Warchol, St.
Lawrence, Lawrenceville,
Joe Grno, Immaculate
Heart of Mary, Atlanta,
Bob Spaeth, St. Joseph,
Dalton; Rick Nerone. Cor
pus Christi, Stone Moun
tain; Raul Trujillo,
Cathedral of Christ the
King, Atlanta; Thomas
Walsh, St. John Neumann,
Lilburn. and Joan Cleary,
Mary Rofrano and Ray Or
man, managers of the St.
John Neumann thrift shop,
Second Time Around.
Joseph Diehl, All Saints,
Dunwoody; Ralph Griz-
zard, St. Patrick, Nor-
cross; Sister Carolyn
Oberkirch, RSM, OLA; Joe
Warner, St. Philip Benizi,
Jonesboro; Dick Cox, St.
Matthew, Fairburn; Jim
Needham, St. Ann, Mariet
ta; Patsy Meng, Christ Our
Hope. Lithonia.
In receiving their cer
tificates of recognition,
Rosemary and Spalding
Mills, of St. Anthony, Blue
Ridge, were cited for their
assistance to victims of the
recent floods which struck,
their mountain area.
Sharon Maddox, case
worker at the Central Of
fice, was honored for l(f
years of service. Also
honored wgs Cecilia “Sis”
Stevenson, 80, who retired^
last month after working
part-time at Second Hand
Rose, SVDP thrift shop on
Clairmont Avenue since i^
opened in 1976.
Two hundred and 35 per
sons were served at the
soup and sandwich meat
which followed the Liturgy
celebrated by Archbishop
Eugene A. Marino, SSJ,
A DAY IN THE LIFE
OF A HAWTHORNE DOMINICAN
The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne
SERVANTS OF RELIEF FOR INCURABLE CANCER
A religious community of Catholic women with seven modern nursing facilities in six
states. Our one apostolate is to nurse incurable (jancer patients. This work is a practical
fulfillment of our faith.
The most important talent, highly prized by us, is the talent for sharing of yourself—
your compassion, your cheerfulness, your faith—with those who have been made so
vulnerable and dependent by this dread disease. Not all of our sisters are nurses, but as
part of our apostolate. all directly help in the care of the patients.
If you think you have a religious vocation and would like to know more about our work
and community life, why not plan to visit with us. We would be happy to share with you
a day from our lives.
Write:
Sr. Marie Edward
DOMINICAN SISTERS
OK HAWTHORNE
Rosary Hill Home
600 Linda Avenue
Hawthorne,
New York 10532
or call: (9I4» 769-4794
Please send me more information about your Congregation.