Completed 2010/2011 Activities
May Activities
May activities included assisting the St. Theresa Respect Life Committee with the Mother's Day Flower Sale for the benefit of The Women's Center, assisting the KC with the MH dinner, monthly pick ups and delivery of Panera baked goods to local charities, election of new officers for the 2011/2012 year, a champagne and appetizer party at the regular monthly meeting in celebration of an award and certificates won at the state convention.
April Activities
April activities inlcuded the deliveries of Panera baked good donations 2-3 times per week to local charities, a donation of cookbooks to the Carmelite gift shop at Holy Hill in Wisconsin, donating deserts and helping the American Legion Post in Palatine with the dinner and bingo for blinded veterans, donating cookbooks to the IL State Ladies Auxiliary for raffle prizes during the 2011 State Convention, additional cookbook donations, assisting the KC with Lent fish fries, Eucharistic adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and attending the IL State KC Convention in Springfield. The Auxiliary April meeting was an appetizer party/baby shower.
March Activities
March activities included assisting the Knights of Columbus with the Lenten fish fries; providing the hospitality ministry with breakfast pastries delivery of donated Panera breads and pastries, and 3600 packages of donated Bear Creek dried soups to: the Carmelite Monastery, the Society of Divine Word Missions, Maryvile Academy, St. Theresa, St. Thomas of Villanova food pantry, St. Joseph's Home for the Eldery, Miles Jesu, CEDA northwest, Catholic Charities, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and others in need. At the monthly meeting/ St. Patrick's Day appetizer party we had two guest speakers, one a police officer from Palatine Police Department who spoke on personal safety and the other, a member of St. Theresa Respect Life Committee who spoke on the 40 days for Life campaign. The Auxiliary also assited with the KC spaghetti dinner, donated a gift basket to each of the following: the St. Theresa's Women's Club for their spring fashion show, St. Theresa School for their blue and gold dinner, Mt. St. Joseph for a fundraiser and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
February Activities
February Activities included deliveries of baked goods from Panera Bread to local charities 2-3 times per week, monetary donations to numerous charities, collection of food products doanted to St. Vincent de Paul and delivered to numerous charities and food pantries, scheduled collection of oral health care products at the Chicago Mid Winter Dental Convention for delivery to local charities and food pantries, Eucharistic Adoration, donations to the St. Vincent de Paul dinner fundraiser, assembling a basket to donate to the KC Ladies Auxliary State Convention, game played at the regular monthly meeting, and other activities.
January Activities
January activities for the Auxiliary included a White Elephant gift exchange at the monthly meeting and presentation by Bill Nicholson who spoke about prayer during Eucharistic Adoration. Delivery of food donations to: Society of the Divine Word Missions, St. Joseph's Home for the Elderly, St. Theresa, St. Thomas Food Pantry, and the Carmelite Monastery continued throughout the month. The Auxiliary made donations of cases of "Bless Us O Lord" cookbooks to Ave Maria University gift shop, Franciscan University gift shop, Maryville Academy, and others with full proceeds going directly to those organizations. Auxiliary members also participated in monthly Eucharistic Adoration.
December Activities
December activities included assisting the KC with a Children's Christmas Party and an Adult Christmas Party; a Christmas bake sale; a cookie exchange and appetizer party at the regular monthly meeting; delivering donations of baked goods to The Carmelite Monastery, St. Joseph's Home for the Elderly, St. Thomas Food Pantry, Miles Jesu, the Society of the Divine Word Missions for the Christmas dinner for retired elderly missionary priests, and St. Theresa; donations of cookbooks to Divine Word Missions gift shop, delivery of PLMA food donations to: St. Thomas food pantry, Holy Family Church food pantry and others; selling cookbooks at local Christmas craft fairs; donating Christmas dinners and Christmas gifts to needy families through the St. Theresa Ministry of Care.
November Activities
November activities included a "pound auction" with member Denise Ciciora serving as "auctioneer", collection of food items for the Thanksgiving baskets of food which were delivered to a family at each of the three parishes we serve ( St. Theresa, St. Thomas of Villanova and Immaculate Conception parishes), participation in the PLMA food drive at the Rosemont Convention Center in which members collected, and boxed food for loading onto trucks for delivery to local food pantries, cookbook sales at area craft shows, donations to numerous charities, assisting the St. Theresa Women's Club by providing baked goods for their holiday bake sale, delivery of Panera baked products to local charities, a membership drive at St. Thomas of Villanova, providing baked goods to the St. Theresa Welcoming Committee, set-up and providing baked goods to the St. Thomas of Villanova ASP Ministry for their annual post-trip pizza party, donating and delivering trays of baked goods to the American Legion Post 208 in Arlington Heights and the Mc Henry VFW both of which served the enlisted men and women from Great Lakes Naval Base on Thanksgiving, and providing desserts to American Legion Post 208 for the reception following "A Christmas Carol for the Troops"- a fundraiser to benefit a disabled Marine living in Oak Lawn.
October Activities
October activities included cook book sales, a KC 50th anniversary dinner, delivery of donated breads and baked goods to local charities 2-3 times per week. and donations of baked goods to the St. Theresa Welcoming Committee for Welcoming Sunday. Donations were solicited from local businesses and individuals for the benefit of ASP (Appalachia Service Project). The donations of baked goods, oral healthcare products, tools, toiletries and dried meats which were delivered to Appalachia. In addition members traveled with St. Thomas of Villanova ASP Ministry to help build and repair homes in Appalachia to make them safe. warm and dry for the poor living in the area. The monthly meeting was a potluck dinner with guest speaker Deacon Mark Duffey from St. Thomas of Villanova who spoke on respect for life. Members participated in the monthly Eucharistic Adoration at St. Theresa Church and assisted the KC with the spaghetti dinner and pancake breakfast.
September Activities
In September the Ladies Auxiliary participated in the St. Theresa Ministry Faire and the Feast Day Mass, provided baked goods to the St. Theresa Welcoming Committee for Welcoming Sunday, delivered Panera bread donations to numerous local charities 2-3 times per week, held a champagne celebration at the regular monthly meeting with guest speaker , Lee Urbasic, who spoke about Eucharistic Adoration, held a Labor Day bake sale for the benefit of St. Thomas Church, assisted the Knights of Columbus with the annual Tootsie Roll Drive to beneifit the handicapped and intellectually challenged, made a cash donation to Pro-Life Action League, donated a dozen cookbook to WINGS- a shelter for abused women and children for sale at their gift shop, and donated cookbooks to St. Joseph's Home for the Elderly for their gift shop.
August Activities
Auxiliary members donated 5 cases of school supplies to the Palatine Township Apple Tree Campaign for delivery to needy school children in Palatine Township. Deliveries of donated bread from Panera in Deer Park were made to the Carmelite Monastery, St. Joseph's Home for the Elderly, St. Theresa, and St. Thomas Food Pantry. Auxiliary "Bless Us O Lord" cook books were sold throughout the month at Farmers Markets and other venues to raise money for charities. Auxiliary members solicited donations of products and services to raffle off at the KC 50th anniversary celebration. Mary Kittler organized a rousing game of BINGO that was enjoyed by all at the August monthly meeting.
July Activities
Auxiliary members joined the Knights of Columbus in the Palatine 4th. of July parade carrying their parade banner. Throughout the month they sold their cookbooks "Bless Us O Lord" at farmers markets, churches, the Palatine 4th of July celebration, and numerous other venues in Palatine and the Chicago area suburbs. On the 15th they served lunch to over 75 participants in the annual "Truth Tour" of the Pro-life Action League. Excess food from the luncheon was donated to St. Joseph's Home for the Elderly and the Carmelite Monastery. Twice weekly deliveries of donations from Panera Bread were delivered by auxiliary members to: St. Joseph's Home, St. Theresa, St. Thomas food pantry, the Carmelite Monastery and other charities. The Auxiliary made a cash donation to St. Theresa Church to assist with the expenses of recarpeting the church. The Auxiliary provided desserts for the Relevant Radio's Catholic Business Association meeting at St. Joseph's Home and to the Legionaries of Christ Boys Sports Camp held at St. Theresa. Auxiliary member Denise Ciciora gave a presentation on Genealogy at the regular monthly meeting with other members providing refreshments of ethnic appetizers. Members were encouraged to donate school supplies to the Township of Palatine Apple Tree Campaign for needy children.
June Activities
The Auxiliary continued to pick up and deliver twice weekly donations of bread from Panera to numerous chairities. The Instalation of incomming Officers was held on June 18 at St. Theresa. The new officers for 2010-2012 are: Barbara Simeo, President; Genevieve Baur, Vice-President; Laura Harris, Treasurer; Mary Lou Arns, Secretary, Terry Drabot, Becky Murzyn, and Diane Tuegel , Trustees; and Juliana Tragasz, past-President and 1 year Trustee. Cook book sales have been brisk, and will continue throughtout the month at numerous Farmers Markets and church. An autographed Chef coat donated by Pastry chef and former Food Network host, Gale Gand, was raffled off to all early bird cookbook purchasers. Fr. Greg drew the winner, Joan Munson. A surprise baby shower was held for auxiliary member Nicole at the regular monthly meeting.
May Activities
The Holy Ghost Auxiliary was recognized again this year by the Illinois State Council of the Knights of Columbus, as being the most Outstanding Auxiliary in the state of Illinois, at the state convention in May. The Auxiliary also won First Place in the scrapbook competition for auxiliaries with under 50 members. The Holy Ghost Ladies currently number 43. The Auxiliary provided pastries for the Welcoming Sunday at St. Theresa Church, and 20 trays of desserts to St. Joseph's Home for the Elderly for the Mother's Day Tea scheduled for Mother's Day weekend. Weekly deliveries of baked goods from Panera to the Carmelte Monastery, Miles Jesu, St. Joseph's Home, St. Theresa and St. Thomas Food Pantry continued throughout the month. Pre-publishing sales for the cookbook were over 300 for two weekends with projected sales of 2500 total after the book arrives. A Memorial Day Bake Sale was held at the end of the month for the benefit of St. Theresa Church.