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HAPPY THANKS-GIVING!
Sitting here on this cool November day (yes even in Florida! Although not to compare to those in Buffalo digging out of all the snow!) we remember the history of Thanksgiving.
"The original thanksgiving celebration was held by the Pilgrim settlers in Massachusetts during their second winter in America in December, 1621. The first winter had killed 44 of the original 102 colonists. At one point their daily food ration was down to five kernels of corn apiece, but then an unexpected trading vessel arrived, swapping them beaver pelts for corn, providing for their severe need. The next summer's crop brought hope, and Governor William Bradford decreed that December 13, 1621, be set aside as a day of feasting and prayer to show the gratitude of the colonists that they were still alive."
November is the time of year when we all eat too much turkey and stuffing, and if you are like us, a time when you reflect on the past year. We pause to be grateful for all of the many gifts and blessing from God and, as Christians we are called to think about how we can bestow blessing upon others.
This November, Catholic Volunteers in Florida asks you to share some of your gifts with our program by adding CVIF as a CHARITY OF CHOICE and/or by sharing our 2015-16 APPLICATION with your network.
Most importantly, Catholic Volunteers in Florida would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our volunteers, donors, Bishops, alumni and the rest of the CVIF family. With out you, CVIF volunteers would not be able to serve and give back to our communities.
THANK YOU!
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Fall Retreat! 
Our fall retreat kicked off at Warren Willis Camp on Thursday evening. Volunteers had the chance to pray together, serve one another on the High/Low Ropes courses, build community in creating prayer partner boxes, talk around the bonfire and carve pumpkins with their community! Volunteers reflected on how their year is going, and what surprises they are encountering in their year of service, and learned about God centered conflict resolution.
CVIF also had some great visitors that share their passion with the volunteers and staff. Teresa Peterson from the Diocese of Orlando Communications Office came and spoke with the group about "Spiritual Journaling", Diane Gallagher share her passion and led the group in a yoga stretching session. Sr Florence Bryan and Darcey Dinh - our infamous former staff members came to participate in the evening Saturday night.
Positive feedback from the volunteers:
"REAL mutual love and affection permeated every aspect of this retreat, which to my mind, is the most important thing we take away."
During this retreat "e ach volunteer witnessed to his/her own spirituality in new ways. I am very hopeful for this present generation. They will change the world. Journaling and The Examen were not new to me, but I was impressed with the presenter's gentleness and humility."
During this retreat, especially during the ropes course, I learned "that in order to build community everyone must participate in the listening process. If there are too many people trying to complete one task and all of them are refusing to listen to one another, nothing gets accomplished. Community is about building strength. If no one is willing to listen to one another, the community will fail."
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Catholic Volunteers In Florida
Catholic Volunteers in Florida is dedicated to providing people of all faiths the opportunity to volunteer for a year and live out their faith by serving the diverse needs of the people of Florida. Catholic Volunteers work towards justice and peace, transforming the community they serve as well as themselves.
To apply for our 2015-2016 service year click here.
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SERVICE SITE SPOTLIGHT
L'Arche Harbor House
by Alumnus Sally Koch
Living here has helped me understand better who I am. I see my strengths and my weaknesses and what makes us all human and what binds us together.
Sally Koch had several things on her mind when she applied to become an assistant at L'Arche Harbor House. A recent graduate of the University of South Dakota with a major in psychology and a minor in music, she had tentative plans to attend graduate school in counseling. "But I wasn't ready for that yet," says the Nebraska native. "I knew I wanted to volunteer for a year and focus on someone other than me. Also, after growing up in the cold, I knew I wanted to live someplace warm."
Sally searched the Web for volunteer opportunities. Through Catholic Volunteers in Florida, she was connected to L'Arche Harbor House in Jacksonville. It was the kind of location she'd been looking for, but at first, Sally couldn't see herself at L'Arche. "I had volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in West Virginia and the Appalachian area in Kentucky, but I didn't have experience with community living or with physical or developmental disabilities, so I was uneasy about it. Honestly, I said no at first because I was scared. Then, right when I hung up the phone, I realized my mistake. God was telling me to go for it. So I picked up the phone and called back."
Since then, she hasn't looked back. "My initial fear was I would say something that would make people uneasy or be disrespectful in some way and not know how to communicate," she explains. "But I got here and it was just so open and friendly and accepting. I really felt at home by the second week. I've been a lot of places, and I've never felt like that before. Here, it's different. It's very homey."
That's not to say that life as a L'Arche assistant is a cakewalk. "I have a love-hate relationship with change," notes Sally. "It's that transitional period. At first, it all seemed a bit overwhelming. I'd have to say patience is necessary. I've learned to work on other people's timetables. I'm here for them, no matter how long it takes to accomplish our tasks together. The good thing is I'm surrounded by camaraderie. Everyone supports you and they understand."
Most of all, she's loved the journey of self-discovery that began the day she arrived. "I really enjoy how people here don't try to hide their weaknesses and flaws. In some ways, they're kind of celebrated. That means I don't have to hide behind a mask or be someone I'm not. L'Arche is very open to self-discovery, to finding the best version of yourself."
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Some give by serving, while others serve by giving.
or
If donating by check please make it payable to:
Catholic Volunteers in Florida
PO Box 536476
Orlando, FL 32853-6476
Contact us:
407-426-7771
[email protected]
www.cvif.org
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