Page
Christ Child Society of Phoenix
4633 N 54th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85018
www.christchildsocietyphoenix.org. Spring, 2016
“Nothing is ever too much to do for a child.”
Blessings
from:
The office of the Christ Child Society of Phoenix is located at Mt. Claret, 4633 N. 54th St, Phoenix, AZ 85018.
Christ Child Society of Phoenix is a member chapter of the National Christ Child Society, Inc.
6110 Executive Blvd., Suite 504, Rockville, MD 20852—800-814-2149—www.nationalchristchildsociety.org
President's Message....
Dear Christ Child Society members,
Challenging Poverty: One Child at a Time
Many of you may remember when this program was first introduced by the National Christ Child Society (NCCS) in 2002.
The program resulted in our development of Story Book Friends at St. Matthew Catholic School in 2004.
National has updated this program and we are being asked to take a look at what we are doing for children living in poverty.
This comes at a time when we are also taking a very serious look at our Chapter, how it operates and functions, and most im-
portant, it’s future.
In January 2003 we received a Program Update from NCCS which stated that 17% of American children (nearly 12 million)
lived in poverty. According to The Annie E. Casey Foundation, that percentage in 2012 was 23% or 16,397,000 children.
They also report that in Arizona the percentage of children living in poverty was 27% or 429,000 in 2012. In addition, in 2014
Arizona’s overall ranking was 46 out of 50 states for Economic Well-Being, Education, Health, and Family & Community. All
rankings pertain to children! We knew we had problems, but Oh My Gosh! The numbers are staggering and so sad. There is
so much work to be done.
In order to understand these statistics, we must first know “What is Poverty?” Three points help define it: *A median in-
come of $23,000 for a family of four, *The inability to provide one’s family with basic needs and *The extent to which a family
survives without resources. In other words – It is hard to save for a rainy day when it is ALWAYS raining.
Did you know that basic brain circuits which serve as the foundation for future learning, as well as emotional and social
health, are formed in the first 3 years of life? The pattern of those circuits is shaped not so much by genes but by the young
child’s interaction with the environment. Unrelenting racism, street violence, domestic instability, stresses of poverty and other
adversities result in children exhibiting symptoms that resemble post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a very seri-
ous disorder often experienced by returning combat veterans.
So what’s my point in telling you all of this – As Christ Child members we are being asked not only by NCCS, but by our
founder Mary Virginia Merrick over 130 years ago, to “Find a need and fill it.” There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that
there is certainly a need. We have now been doing this for over 30 years. My thanks to each of you for everything you do for
children in poverty. We can only imagine the impact our efforts have had on children’s lives.
I’ve given you a lot of statistics and even more to think about. Please prayerfully consider how we can help improve these
statistics for the children in the Phoenix area. Isn’t that why we joined Christ Child in the first place?
Grace
Page 2
Christ Child Society of Phoenix
Prayer Corner—Alice Wold
Ed Merkel Mary Kaspor’s brother
David Michelle Cano’s nephew
Rick Rowen Mary Jo Rowen’s husband
Chuck Foos Barbara Gallagher’s brother
Teddi Murray
Maddie MaryEllen Pendleton’s friend
Laynie MaryEllen Pendleton’s friend
Lynda Clifton
Lydia Zackowski’s family
Eunice Thomas
Elyse Nelson Eunice Thomas’s granddaughter
William Eunice Thomas’s brother
Frank Palamara Ginny Palamara’s husband
Arlene Pogue former member
Tina McKean Cindy Rutka’s cousin
Jerry Schnieders Helen Schnieders’ husband
Carol Childers Teresa Donnelly’s friend
Barbara Gallagher
In Loving Memory—
Maggie Donovan
Betty Szot former member
Daniel Clifton Lynda Clifton’s son
Maria Capaldi Edna Kvochak’s mother
Memorials—Ruth Hafner
Florence Degnitz Grace Cooper Diane Scalise Carol Engel Julie Berkel Marybess Mutchie Margie Hafner Rose Mary Miller Dale & Ruth Hafner Cynthia Kelly Bette Laatsch Nancy Yahraus Marybess Mutchie Jim Donnelly Barbara Hunt Bette Laatsch Marybess Mutchie Ron Warner Barbara Hunt Lynda Clifton Melinda McGovern Richard & Elaine Worden Daniel Clifton Rita Hooper Mary Alice Dedinsky Rose Mary Miller Ruth Hafner Shirley Fitzjarrald Carol Engel Grace Cooper Helen Jaros Delores Jakubek Mary Martin Bob & Gwen Jacober Diane Scalise Jerry & Helen Schnieders Jim & Barbara Gallagher Shirley Hennessy Wallie Sweeney Cindy Rutka Marybess Mutchie Charles Ruetten Carol Engel Bette Laatsch Marybess Mutchie Maggie Donovan Carol Engel Diane Scalise Delores Jakubek Jim & Barbara Gallagher Shirley Hennessy Helen Jaros Bette Laatsch Eunice Thomas Pat Mansfield Betty Szot Carol Engel Bette Laatsch Marybess Mutchie Michael Regula Carol Engel Lester Malone Nancy Yahraus Noah Shannon Paul Lorenz Haylee Peterson Marybess Mutchie Adelina & Agustin Trujillo Jennifer Trujillo Hobbs
In Honor of-
Amy Fletcher Debbie Brines Jo Ann Donnelly Charles Donnelly
CCS Board of Directors
President—Grace Cooper
Vice President Ways & Mean—Barbara Badger
Vice President Communicatiion—Wallie Sweeney
Treasurer—Sharon Casey
Secretary—Ruth Hafner
DATES TO REMEMBER
March 10 Spring Food Drive
March 12 Red Wagon Fare
March 14 Mass & Membership Meeting
March 25 Good Friday
Page 3
Christ Child Society of Phoenix
Where’s the Money?
July 1, 2015 – January 31, 2016
Income - $45,578.81
Expenses—$43,127.01
Profit—$2,451.80
Cards for Cash
Bashas Rewards - $206.40
Fry's Rewards - $856.48
Memorial Donations - $5,755.00
Other Donations…….$10,958.75
Please report all “In-Kind” donations to the Treasurer. Pick up an “In-Kind” form from the desk at Mt. Claret. Christ Child Society qualifies under the Work-ing Poor Tax Credit , which is now called Credit for Donations made to Qualifying Charitable Organizations You do NOT have to itemize your taxes to take advantage of this state tax credit. Please consult a qualified tax advisor for personal tax advice.
Membership—Elaine O’Toole
Active: 116
Life: 29
Honorary 80: 28
Sustaining: 3
New Members: 19
Total: 195
Please keep the Christ Child Society informed of any ad-
dress, telephone or email changes throughout the year.
Please forward your contact information changes to Elaine
at [email protected]. You can also send them to Mt.
Claret, Attention: Membership Chair. Updates will be post-
ed in the monthly Moments In Between.
Nominations Committee—Elida Desmond
The Nominations Committee proudly announces the follow-
ing slate of officers for the 2016-2017 Executive Board:
President Johanna Warner
VP Communications Wallie Sweeney
Secretary Andrea Hodge
The Executive Board approved the slate of offic-
ers on February 8, 2016. In accordance with our
bylaws, the general membership will vote to ac-
cept the slate at the May 2nd Annual Meeting. At
that time nominations will be open from the floor if
the nominee has given written consent.
The Nominations Committee is still searching for
a Vice President of Ways & Means. If anyone
has questions on this position, contact Elida Des-
mond or Barbara Badger, the current VP Ways &
Means.
The Committee is happy to announce that Joan
McKeon has agreed to be Assistant Treasurer for
the coming year. Sharon Casey will remain in the
Treasurer’s position since it is a two year term in
accordance with the bylaws.
Thank you to the Nominations Committee—
Marion Hebting, Bette Laatsch and Carol Engel—
for their time and commitment.
New Members—Barbara Badger—West Side
Wallie Sweeney—East Side
Please join us in welcoming Christ Child’s newest
members: Michelle Grimditch, Brenda Kilhoffer,
Leslee Mason, and Dolores Vitucci.
This brings our New Members to a total of nineteen.
Take time to introduce yourselves and make them
feel welcome. You will recognize them by the blue
ribbon around their neck holding their name tags.
Page 4
Christ Child Society of Phoenix
Mary Virginia Merrick - Carol Engel
Even as a young child Miss Mary was a very spiritual
child. She often played “Mass” with her siblings and was
quoted saying “I don’t want to feel useless in the vineyard
of our Lord.” Although crippled in her early years, Miss
Mary saw the need around her and established the Christ
Child Society to fill that need.
Do you think she could have imagined that in one hun-
dred plus years after her desire to aid the poor, she would
be considered for sainthood!
She has given each member of our precious society the
same opportunity to reach out to the poor and follow her
example.
Spring Food Drive—Johanna Warner
Our Spring Food Drive is just in time for Easter and will
replace the Thanksgiving turkey dinners which were donat-
ed to Desert Mission Food Bank. Last year we were very
generous and donated items totaling 714 lbs.
Boxes for the food drive will be delivered to Mt. Claret on
Thursday, March 10th, which is a layette work day. The
boxes will be identified as Can Goods, Dry Goods and
Hygiene Products. Snack packs are popular with children.
There is a need for the following items:
Canned Goods:
Fruit Vegetables
Soup Pasta Sauce
Pasta with Sauce Beans
Chicken Peanut Butter
Jam or Jelly Tuna
Metal or Plastic Containers only—no Glass
Dry Goods:
Sugar, 5 lb. Flour, 5 lb.
Dried potatoes Beans, 1 lb.
Rice, boxed Pasta/Spaghetti
Cereal Pop Tarts
Breakfast Bars
Macaroni & Cheese, 10 oz to 18 oz.
Hygiene Products: Trial Size
Shampoo Conditioner
Soap Body Wash
Deodorant Toothpaste
Toothbrushes, regular or childrens
Toilet Paper
Desert Mission Food Bank will pick up the boxes after
our General Meeting on Monday, March 14.
Gena McGowan, Principal of St. Matthew School & Grace
Cooper, President of CCS.
Gena was the speaker at the November General Meeting
Peanut Butter Snowballs from 30th Anniversary Tea
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 T. butter, softened to room temperature
1 lb. white candy coating, coarsely chopped
Combine sugar, peanut butter and butter. Shape into 1 inch
balls and place on a waxed paper lined baking sheet. Chill
for 30 minutes or until firm.
Meanwhile, melt the candy coating in a microwave safe
bowl. Dip balls and place on waxed paper to harden.
From the Diary of Mary Virginia Merrick
Let not a day pass without having learned something;
without having overcome yourself in something; without
having performed a kind act; without having accomplished
something.
Try to accept people as they are. Do not feel it encum-
bent upon you to correct or admonish. Praise all you can.
Call attention very quietly when you can, otherwise let it
pass.
Lord, forgive if I have shirked a duty and allow this plan
not to work if so is the case. In any event, Thy will, not
mine. For Thee and Thee only let my every breath be.
Thanks for the graces and thanks for the sufferings so
keen, yet for which I can now thank you.
Page 5
Christ Child Society of Phoenix
Save the Date!
Tuesday April 5, 2016
AZ GIVES returns
Watch for upcoming emails with
Information on how to contribute online.
CCS will once again participate in this
ONE DAY
Statewide campaign to raise funds for non-profits.
We will be asking you to make your online donation to CCS at a certain hour
during the day. This will increase our chances of winning a cash prize from AZ
GIVES, in addition to the money we raise.
The amount you donate won’t be as important as the TIME of day you
donate!!!
Please consider making a $30 donation to honor our Chapter’s
30th Anniversary!
Page 6
Christ Child Society of Phoenix Christ Child Society of Phoenix
Grace Cooper & Snake
Students enjoying Reptile Man at St. Jerome
Spreading the Word About CCS
The Christ Child Society is now a known charity to those
parishioners at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Avondale.
Thousands of people viewed our quilts, layettes, bedtime
bags and books from our reading programs and much in-
terest was expressed in what we do. A new member
signed up, two cash donations were received, and promis-
es of online donations to come. Many people expressed
interest in buying our quilts and were very impressed about
the meaningful work that we do. A NICU nurse from Ban-
ner Estrella hospital expressed great interest in receiving
donations for the NICU unit and obstetrics ward and we
were invited to tour the facility.
All in all, it was a most successful presentation by the
Christ Child Society. We realized our objective and now
we’re “out there”. Many, many thanks to the CCS mem-
bers who were there at the Masses to state our cause.
30th Anniversary Tea -Barbara Badger
The 30th Anniverary celebration of the Christ Child
Society of Phoenix was held at Mt. Claret on January
16th with over 100 Christ Child members and friends
attending.
National CCS President, Anne Kelly gave an inspiring
speech outlining how the Christ Child Society has car-
ried on the vision of Mary Virginia Merrick.
Everyone enjoyed the good food and social interaction
and had a lovely time.
CCS President Grace Cooper, NCCS President Anne Kelley &
Spiritual Advisor, Msgr Tom Hever
Christ Child Society of Phoenix Past Presidents
Bette Laatsch, Judy Lauinger, Barbara Gallagher,
Elaine O’Toole & Diane Scalise
Page 7
30th Anniversary Tea
Page 8
Christ Child Society of Phoenix
Items to Date
Layette - Ruth Hafner
5
2 5
9
Comfort Quilts -
Mary Kaspor & Elaine
O’Toole
269 quilts have been
distributed since July 1,
2015.
SERVICE PROJECTS
Layette—Ruth Hafner
The holidays are over and our layette volunteers are busy at
all three of our locations, sewing, serging & crocheting items
for our layettes. We are also busy raising funds for diaper
bags for next year. We received a supply of 1,000 “Good
Night Moon” books from the National Christ Child Society and
are including one in each layette. Since September we have
created and distributed 3,941 items to our six agencies.
Thank you again to our leaders at Mt. Claret, Corpus Christi
and Our Lady of Guadalupe for a job well done!
Quilt Donation
Marybess Mutchie and friend of the Christ Child Society,
Harriet Snyder of Apache Junction, met in 2014 while on a
bus trip to the Tucson Quilt Show. Since all aboard were
quilters from the valley, Marybess told Harriet about the
Christ Child Society ladies and their quilts. Harriet shared
that she designed, made and machine quilted scrap quilts
as her personal charity project. Shortly after that trip, Har-
riet emailed Marybess to offer twenty-two twin-size quilts
to the Christ Child Society to give to the agencies of our
choice. Much to Harriet’s delight, two quilts were offered
as raffle items at that year’s Red Wagon Fare and the re-
mainder were gratefully received by the Vista Colina Fami-
ly Shelter. In January, 2016, Harriet again emailed and
said she had thirty-three quilts to donate. Marybess and
Harriet are shown here at the January 28th Layette at Mt.
Claret where the quilts brought much excitement, instant
smiles and expressions of gratitude. Harriet’s quilts are
always colorful, imaginative and well-made. Two quilts
were again chosen for the upcoming Red Wagon Fare.
Harriet Snyder & Marybess Mutchie with quilts
Page 9
Starfish Award-Maxine Faltys
Maxine joined the Christ Child Society in 2003 and has
shared her talents and gifts for all of those twelve
years. We cannot even begin to guess how many
hours she has devoted to Christ Child in that time—at
least several thousand. This year alone she has
logged 588 hours!
She is the leader of the crocheters at Mt. Claret. Ask
her for a pattern and she has it. She has taught many
of the ladies how to crochet, she inventoried, stacked
and counted thousands of skeins of yarn over the
years.
You will always find her at her table working away,
stopping to answer any question you may have. She is
a regular attendee of Layette and all Christ Child Soci-
ety meetings and events.
Maxine has dedicated herself to bringing joy, warmth
and love to newborns in the hospitals and clinics
where we share our gifts of caring and love. Her dedi-
cation does not stop with the Christ Child Society, but
carries over into St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, where
she is an active member.
Thank you Maxine for your leadership and for all the
wonderful time, talent and friendship you have given all
members of the Christ Child Society and all new moth-
ers and their newborns.
Christ Child Society of Phoenix
Maxine Faltys & Grace Cooper
Day of Prayer Johanna Warner & Rosemary Zais
IWhat a wonderful day for the Christ Child members to cele-
brate Mass together at Corpus Christi Church. Father Chad
King celebrated the Mass and his homily was inspiring. Liz
Gorzynski, Gwen Jacober, Julie Berkel, Carol Engel, Barba-
ra Hunt, Rose Mary Miller, Elida Desmond and Jim Hunt all
participated in the Mass.
Tom Perna, our guest speaker, spoke about the Blessed
Mother and her role in the Lenten Season.
Edna Kvochak, Marion Hebting and all the ladies from Cor-
pus Christi served delicious breakfast items donated by our
members with a beautiful table setting. The decorations
were so colorful and the Valentine’s Day theme “Love” was
so fitting, for the love we all have for the Christ Child.
Thank you to the 47 members and 2 guests who attended
the Day of Prayer.
Johanna Warner, Tom Perna, Rosemary Zais & Grace Cooper
Knights of Columbus Donations
Thank you to the following Knights of Columbus councils
for their generous donations to purchase diaper bags for
our Layette Program:
St. Benedict Council #12246
St. Helen’s Council
Page 10
Christ Child Society of Phoenix
Mt. Claret Center
4633 N. 54th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85018-1904
RED WAGON FARE ROUNDUP March 12, 11:00 am
Chaparral Suites
Invitations are in the mail & we’re gearin’ up for a rootin’ tootin’ good time! Get out your denim, diamonds, or any western regalia for the
Red Wagon Fare!
*Rosemary Levy is collectin’ additional invitation requests, so please contact her regardin’ those addresses.
*Carol Engel is still roundin’ up raffle items.
We’re lookin’ forward to seein’ y’all there!
Suzanne & Cindy
Top Related