20th Anniversary Celebration This year, the Samaritan House Ministry celebrates 20 years of service within our community. To honor this achievement, all volunteers are invited to take part in a celebration on Sunday, September 23rd from 2-4pm at St. Peter's Parish Center. This event will include: tours of the Samaritan House, hors d'oeuvres, music by David Driskell, personal testimonies, and a look at our past and future. Please invite family and friends who may be interested in this ministry. Farewell & GratitudeThe Samaritan House Steering Committee and Volunteers wish to acknowledge Daria Guelig for 20 years of service to the Samaritan House as a volunteer, organizer and Program Facilitator. Daria retired from the latter position in July of this year. She will continue to serve as a volunteer for future guests. Sincere thanks to Daria for her dedication and commitment to Samaritan House, its guests and their families. Welcome New Facilitators Anna Dunlap (Medical Facilitator) Anna is originally from Minnesota but spent many years in Montgomery County, PA. She attended Rockford College in Illinois and received a Master's Degree in Health Care Administration from St. Francis University, Illinois. Besides working as a paramedic for several years, she worked the last 25 years of her career in the field of Cardiology, primarily working in a Cardiac Cath Lab and managing both Cath Labs as well as Non-Invasive Cardiology departments. Anna and her husband, Neil, moved to Stony Fork in 2014. Anna is a member of St. Peter's Church in Wellsboro. Linda Sampson (Administrative Facilitator) Linda has been a resident of Wellsboro for 36 years. She was born and raised in Elk County, PA and graduated from DuBois Business College. Linda has two daughters, Erin and Meghan, and two grandchildren, Luke and Leah. She lives with her husband, Tom, in Wellsboro. Linda was an active volunteer for several years after the Samaritan House welcomed its first guest. She assumed the role of Volunteer Scheduler in 2013. Linda is a member of St. Peter's Church in Wellsboro. Laurie Coffee (Administrative Facilitator) Laurie is originally from Chicago. She attended UVA and is a retired speech and language therapist. She and her husband, Joe, lived in Northern Virginia for 41 years before moving to Sugar Branch Lake full time in 2012 to be close their oldest son, Geoff, and his family. Son, David, and his family, live in Florida. Daughter, Bevin, lives in Ashville, North Carolina. Laure has been a Samaritan House volunteer since 2013 and is honored to be involved in the ministry. She and Joe are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year. Laurie is a member of Holy Child Church in Mansfield. Angels on Earth Book GroupPlease consider joining the book group on Monday, September 10th at Jan's home (18 Delmar Ridge.) Participants share a light snack and will discuss "The Book of Joy" by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. There is no need to read each book. Rather, come to enjoy the company of fellow volunteers! We welcome suggestion for future reading material. For more information, call Laurie Coffee (570) 549-2210 or Julie Stager (570) 376-2424. To view Book Group selections, press the button below.  A number of improvements have been made inside and outside of the Samaritan House. These were made possible by a generous donation made in memory of Cindy Dalton. Renovations include the front sidewalk, steps and railings. The refrigerator and stove have been replaced, the kitchen painted, and a new sofa purchased. A photo of Cindy will be placed in the Samaritan House as a reminder of her generosity and dedication to the guests and their families. Thank you to Mike Pietropola and Ray Miller for a fresh coat of paint in the kitchen, and to Gary Ranck for various house repairs. We are also grateful to Lori Ranck for her assistance in developing a volunteer spreadsheet.
All volunteers are reminded to respect the confidentiality of our guests and their families. Although volunteers are not bound by HIPPA, we limit the information we share because we respect the privacy of our guests. It is acceptable to request prayers for "our Samaritan House Guest" without mentioning the guest's name. Volunteers who are involved in a guest's care may may discuss that guest's status and needs with other volunteers involved in the guest's care. Questions from those not involved in guest care should be directed to the guest's family. Alternate Ways to ServeHelp is needed in the following areas. For those who wish to volunteer in other important ways, please consider the following options: Check and clean gutters annually. Care of shrubbery and mulching around the house. Remove sticks from lawn as needed. Funding for TV service (second box for guest bedroom as well.) Eight white bath towels, hand towels and washcloths are needed . Handyman for minor repairs and to check house as needed. Current volunteers are asked to share these needs with family and friends who may be able to assist. Contact Linda Sampson (570) 404-2180 if are able to serve. New Steering Committee MembersAnna Dunlap, Linda Sampson, Laurie Coffee (Facilitators) Mel Rupert ( Facility Manager) Coleen Evert, Michele Combs, Patty Kramer, Lillian Fox and Julie Stager From the "Book of Joy" "The two leaders had told us over the course of a week that there is no joy without sorrow, that in fact it is the pain, the suffering that allows us to experience and appreciate the joy. Indeed, the more we can turn toward suffering, our own and others, the more we can turn toward the joy. We accept them both, turning the volume of life up, or we turn our backs on life itself, becoming deaf to it's music. They had also told us and demonstrated that true joy is a way of being, not a fleeting emotion. What they had cultivated in their long lives was that enduring trail of joyfulness. They had warned us that we cannot pursue joy as an end in itself, or we will miss the bus. Joy comes, rather, from daily thoughts, feelings, and actions. They had told us repeatedly the action that gets us on the bus: bringing joy to others." "The end of life raises profound questions for man: What will death be like? Will I be alone or surrounded by my loved ones? What awaits me after death? Will I be welcomed by God's mercy? To face these questions with gentleness and sensitivity -- this is the task of all who work with the dying. Death conceals even from the Christian the direct vision of what is to come, but the believer can trust in the Lord's promise: 'Because I live, you will live also.' (John 14:19) ~ John Paul II |
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