So, I participated in the Friends of the Poor Walk/Run 2024 today to help raise funds for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (“SVdP“), Northeast Ohio. It was a day of fellowship, family, food, and fun to raise awareness and funds for those living in poverty in our local communities.
The event was held at Perkins Park in Warren, Ohio from 10 am until 1 pm. The day was so beautiful I thought I was in Southern California: sunny and low-to-mid 80° F.
The CEO of our local SVdP said that the organization provides 550 meals per day to people in need. It has also provided more that 113,000 meals to date this year! As for the Run/Walk event, more than 400 people participated with probably another 100+ volunteers.
Sponsors
There were more than 100 financial and in-kind sponsors, too, including these:
About SVdP Trumbull County
According to SVdP’s website, here’s a bit about the organization:
It is laid down in our Rule, and it has been always understood among us, that in uniting to serve our masters the poor, as St. Vincent de Paul expresses it, our object is not only to relieve material misery, a very laudable purpose in itself, but to aspire, especially, through the practice of that most sublime of virtues “charity” to render ourselves better and more fervent Christians, and to make our poor enter on the same path, if we have the happiness of succeeding.
Pre Walk/Run Prayer
Prior to the Walk/Run, which was about one mile around the park, Fr. Christopher Cicero of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Warren led the prayer.1“Father Cicero became the pastor of Blessed Sacrament and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parishes on August 22, 2020. He also added the Parish of Sts. Mary and Joseph in 2022, and now is Pastor of the combined (3 Churches) Parish of St. Teresa of Calcutta beginning in July 2024.”
Here’s the mayor speaking before the prayer by Fr. Cicero. I’m reading some paperwork, apparently (red arrow points to me wearing the grey Safari hat).
Fr. Cicero chose verses from “The Judgment of the Nations,” Matthew 25:35-40.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
First Presbyterian Church
Although First Presbyterian Church is not Catholic, it is visible from the area where we met for prayer, food, and socializing – and it has nice architecture:
Youth Soccer in Park
We walked around the baseball and soccer fields where there were a lot of youth soccer games being played:
Lunch
After the short Walk/Run, we were served lunch while being entertained with live music.
I didn’t take any pictures of the meals, but they were provided by Arby’s and McDonald’s. I chose an Arby’s roast beef sandwhich, which was piled high with beef, a bag of potato chips, a very good chocolate chip cookie, and a bottle of water.
After everyone had a meal, there were still plenty of meals remaining, so the volunteers of SVdP offered the meals to people from the park who stopped by to visit.
Live Music
I sat in the lawn wearing my swag t-shirt, eating lunch, listening to live music, and reading a book.2I was the only one who was reading a book during the festivities. But, I’m an introvert, so this is normal for me.
There were several local politicians at the event (the Mayor, County Commissioners, and others), most of whom are Democrats, so I’m glad none of them asked what book I was reading: it was a memoir written by a current Republican politician who is also from Ohio (I’ll write a snippet about the book soon).3I’m politically independent, by the way. I’ve voted Democrat, Republican, Green, Independent, and maybe even Libertarian over the years. I’ve supported, and still support, people like Ron Paul, Thomas Massie, Ross Perot, and Tulsi Gabbard, to name a few. “Repeal 1913” is my motto.
As for the live music, the band, Madame Marlowe, is from Youngstown. The trio played a lot of popular covers including some by Alice in Chains, Tom Petty, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tracy Chapman, and Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks, among others. She, the lead singer, did an exceptional job covering the latter, and surprisingly, most of the other songs, which are not necessarily easy to perform vocally.
Raffle Drawing
In addition to all the financial sponsors, there were 64+ sponsors of gift baskets (offering more than 50 baskets!), gift certificates/coupons, and swag-bag items, not including the undisclosed number of anonymous sponsors of gift baskets. Many of the baskets ranged in value from about $25 to $50. However, some exceeded well more than $100 (perhaps multiple sponsors donated).
I only took one picture of some gift baskets. On the left is one of the wine baskets (#12); on the right is a Starbucks Coffee basket (#17).
I entered six tickets to win gift baskets related to wines/chocolates, Starbucks Coffee, Hand made Cigars, Whiskey, and such. My thinking was to give them to friends/family if I won, since I don’t smoke or drink alcohol. Some of the big-ticket baskets included club seats for four people to attend a Cleveland Indians baseball game and, separately, the local Scrappers baseball game in Warren; a Cleveland Orchestra show; $100 shopping gift cards; and more.
Closing Words
Overall, I’m glad I participated in the St. Vincent de Paul’s Walk/Run event and was impressed by the number of people that showed-up – participants, volunteers, and local elected officials. Also, it was nice to see Perkins Park, which even had a food/beverage concession stand operating, with a lot of activity like when I was a kid, back in the day.
Footnotes
- 1“Father Cicero became the pastor of Blessed Sacrament and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parishes on August 22, 2020. He also added the Parish of Sts. Mary and Joseph in 2022, and now is Pastor of the combined (3 Churches) Parish of St. Teresa of Calcutta beginning in July 2024.”
- 2I was the only one who was reading a book during the festivities. But, I’m an introvert, so this is normal for me.
- 3I’m politically independent, by the way. I’ve voted Democrat, Republican, Green, Independent, and maybe even Libertarian over the years. I’ve supported, and still support, people like Ron Paul, Thomas Massie, Ross Perot, and Tulsi Gabbard, to name a few. “Repeal 1913” is my motto.
