Press Release

St. Isidore Parish Conference of Society of St. Vincent de Paul sends seven to Ozanam School Held at Regis College

STOW, MA December 16, 2002 - Seven members of St. Isidore's Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul attended the Ozanam School at Regis College in Weston MA. The Ozanam School provided an opportunity for members to learn from members of other regional Conferences.

"I was inspired and impressed by the level of work done in other local communities by St. Vincent de Paul," said Jon French, secretary. "Some communities serve upwards of 40 clients per week. There is a great deal of need out there, and our colleagues in other conferences are great examples for us."

"What amazed me," said Helen Ham, member, "was the wide variety of work accomplished by different conferences. Some work with a small group of families over long periods and help them manage their daily expenditures. Others provide short-term grants of $25 each to a very large number of clients."

Jack Mileski, president, said, "With Massachusetts' current fiscal problems, it is clear that needs are only going to increase. We are finding people in the Stow area facing longer unemployment periods than they can handle. Sometimes illnesses such as heart attacks have thrown families into distress. We are learning to work with other agencies, such as housing and welfare. We always find a way to do something.

"We are also learning that Stow area needs outstrip our means. Most conferences' primary source of funds is the poor boxes in church entryways. Although this is a great start, in Stow we believe we will need other sources of funds. Traditionally, St. Vincent de Paul has served their communities very quietly. But, we hope to involve the wider community in the future through creative and fun fund raising activities."

The Stow Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society is an independent organization of Catholic lay men and women. The Society is dedicated to providing temporary material and spiritual support to local people in need. All funds go directly to the local conference for local use. Anyone interested in the Stow conference can contact Jack Mileski at mileski@bigzoo.net or send donations to St. Vincent de Paul Society, St. Isidore Conference c/o the Church of St. Isidore, 429 Great road, Stow, MA 01775. Please refer those in need to St. Isidore Parish at (878) 897-2710.

CONTACT: Helen Ham, Telephone: 508-826-6067, Email: HelenHam@aol.com