Amelia Rose Earhart was the keynote speaker. She did not disappoint. What an amazing journey she has had in her young life. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet her personally yesterday evening at The Metropolitan Downtown. This morning, we were all treated with a detailed account of her flight around the world back in 2014. It was captivating. Breakfast was anything but ordinary this morning.
I had the joy of attending the Boys & Girls Club of Cheyenne "Back-a-Kid Breakfast" this morning at Little America. There were about 400 people in attendance.
Amelia Rose Earhart was the keynote speaker. She did not disappoint. What an amazing journey she has had in her young life. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet her personally yesterday evening at The Metropolitan Downtown. This morning, we were all treated with a detailed account of her flight around the world back in 2014. It was captivating. Breakfast was anything but ordinary this morning.
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I had the pleasure of meeting Amelia Rose Earhart this evening at The Metropolitan Downtown in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Amelia is in town to be the keynote speaker tomorrow morning at the Boys & Girls Club "Back-A-Kid Breakfast." This evening was a small gathering for some of the community leaders to get a brief glimpse into what will take place tomorrow. On September 14, 2015, Robin Seemangal wrote in The Observer:
As fate would have it, an extraordinary pilot named Amelia Rose Earhart became the youngest woman in history to circumnavigate the globe in a single-engine aircraft. While there’s no relation to her namesake who captured headlines more than 79 years ago, it’s clear they both share a deep passion for flight and a remarkable sense of adventure. Some of the items connected with her airplane trip around the world were on display at tonight's gathering. Although I was disappointed to learn she was no relation to the original Amelia Earhart, she still has quite the story. She also seems to be a delightful individual. This is her first public speaking engagement since the pandemic. I am glad it is here in Cheyenne. Many thanks to all of the leadership at Boys & Girls Club of Cheyenne. You are doing amazing things for the young people of our community. Keep up the good work. Blessings and peace! We celebrate the Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time this weekend. I learned a new term in reference to this weekend's Gospel reading. I learned the term "Markan Sandwich." It is related to the fact that the Gospel has a story within a story.
This weekend's Gospel begins with the story about the daughter of Jairus being sick and near the point of death. On the way to see the little girl, Jesus encounters a woman who touches his garment. She had been dealing with hemorrhages for twelve years. The woman is cured and we hear about the interaction between Jesus and the woman. In the meantime, officials report to Jairus that his daughter has died, and there is no need to bother Jesus any longer. It is too late. However, Jesus proceeds to house of Jairus and raises the little girl back to life. Wow! These are important events which indicate the power of Jesus. Have we heard the stories so frequently that we are no longer impacted by the magnitude of the happenings described? If so, how do we get our sense of wonder and awe back about the love and power of God? The refrain of today's Responsorial Psalm would be a good place to begin a period of meditation and reflection: "I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me." My first four weeks as Executive Director for United Way of Laramie County have been a whirlwind. There is a lot to learn and a lot to accomplish. I am grateful for the hard work of the staff, the board members, and volunteers. We are making progress at an amazing speed. The transition in leadership has shifted the timeline a little for getting the campaign kicked-off. That is okay. We are busy preparing materials, scheduling events, and meeting with partners and sponsors. We will be ready to kick things off in style on August 12 at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. Watch for more details as we draw closer. Today, I want to introduce you to the campaign chairs. It has been a tremendous joy getting to know this couple. Please welcome Dr. Danielle Ryan and Jess Ryan! Jess Ryan is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® and has been a financial advisor since 2011. Jess is a fifth generation Wyoming native and graduated from the University of Wyoming. He earned the AIF® Designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies in 2016. The AIF® Designation certifies he has specialized knowledge of fiduciary standards of care and their application to the investment management process. Jess is a frequent instructor for Laramie County Community College’s Life Enrichment Programs where he teaches retirement income planning, tax management, and investment strategies. He also provides financial literacy programs for the Laramie County Library 2 Business program, local businesses, and non-profit organizations. Jess is an avid community volunteer serving as a board member of CASA of Laramie County, the Kiwanis Club of Cheyenne, and K9s for Mobility. He is also Chair of the Cheyenne Chamber Business Council and serves on the Steering Committee for Leadership Cheyenne. He also enjoys being a part of the Young Men’s Literary Club of Cheyenne. What does he do in his free time? Jess is an avid fly fisherman and very amateur gardener. His family includes his wife, local Cheyenne native Dr. Danielle Ryan, and their rescue dog, Jack Russel/Miniature Pincher/Dachshund mix, Tuni. Dr. Danielle Ryan is a fourth-generation Wyomingite. She was born and raised in Cheyenne and attended college at the Universities of Wyoming and Georgia. Danielle is incredibly passionate about education and is the Pathway Coordinator for the Human & Public Services Pathway at LCCC. One of her greatest loves is teaching and providing the support for any college student—first generation, minority, low-income, etc.—to successfully pursue their education and dream career. Danielle is also passionate about conducting research and has published several articles in high impact scholarly journals. Her partner in life and beloved husband is Jess Ryan of a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with the Compass Wealth Group. Together they have an elderly rescue pup named Tunisia Minnie Mouse (a.k.a. TUNI). Danielle and Jess love to baby TUNI, travel together, and dedicate their time to taking care of their treasured families and community. Danielle is grateful to be a part of Cheyenne’s Ch. Z P.E.O., Wyoming Breast Cancer Initiative, Cheyenne Capital Chorale, and several committees at LCCC. In addition to serving as the Campaign Chair with Jess for United Way, Danielle will be dancing to her heart’s content for the Boys and Girls Club Dancing With the Stars Event. As families and children struggle now more than ever due to the pandemic, Danielle and Jess are devoted to raising awareness and gathering the resources needed to help those most vulnerable in her hometown. When asked why they agreed to be campaign chairs for United Way, here is what Danielle and Jess had to say:
"We believe in United Way because of the positive impact they have on numerous non profit organizations and community services. There is not a more direct way to benefit so many areas of need in our community and we trust the process they have for ensuring donations are used effectively. Especially during the pandemic, United Way has been critical in getting effective help to those in desperate need in our community. We believe it is more important than ever to once again LIVE UNITED and band together to help those with the greatest needs in our beloved community." United Way is blessed to have the dedication, enthusiasm and energy of Danielle and Jess leading this campaign. All of Laramie County will benefit because of their commitment to this endeavor. Thank you both for your willingness to say, "YES!" I had the opportunity to learn more about CASA this week. CASA of Laramie County is one of about 950 recognized CASA programs across the country and The U.S. Virgin Islands. Many thanks to the Executive Director, Sarah Urbanek, for giving Shelly and I a deeper look into the work of CASA. This is another valuable organization supported financially by United Way of Laramie County.
www.casalc.org/ We are working closely with Sarah to prepare for WYO Gives Day on July 14. More than 50 non-profit organizations are working together to make this a day of successful fundraising, but also a day for bringing information to the community about the many different organizations involved in serving the people of Laramie County. www.wyogives.org/ Sadness grips my diaconate class once again. Deacon Dave lost his battle with lung cancer on Tuesday. Deacon Dave had the most infectious smile and laugh of anyone I have ever known. His presence simply lit up a room. I can only imagine the grief that his wife and children are experiencing at this time. Deacon Dave and Betty have children about the same age as ours. That is another bond we shared while going through formation and raising young children at the same time. I have not seen much of my classmates since ordination back in 1999 because of moving around. However, there is a bond between all of us that continues to this day. After you spend almost five years going to class together, there is a definite connection between each other because of that shared experience. Please pray for Deacon Dave and his family. www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/stltoday/name/david-amelotti-obituary?pid=199158783 Deacon Allen, Deacon Dan, Deacon Steve, and Deacon Dave--thank you for your ministry. Please know of our prayers for you and your families.
Deacon Steve--July 19, 2017--Rest in peace! Deacon Dan--August 13, 2018--Rest in peace! Deacon Al--April 29, 2020--Rest in peace! Deacon Dave--June 22, 2021--Rest in peace! It is evening as I write this post. As Father's Day draws to a close, I have been reflecting on the experiences of the weekend. It has nothing to do with Father's Day, but it has everything to do with a Father's love. It is a Father's love that brings us the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the power, communion, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
I had the privilege of preaching at two of the Masses last weekend at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Fort Collins, Colorado. I served as a deacon this weekend at those same two Masses. I sat near the entrance of the main doors into the body of the church and quietly prayed and greeted people as they arrived for Mass. I was touched immensely by the outpouring of gratitude that people shared because of my homily last weekend. I gave my testimony during the homily last weekend, and this weekend the people gave me theirs. Wow! There are times that I am simply overwhelmed at God's grace and mercy. I have no idea why God chooses to use me as an instrument of His peace and healing. Multiple people said to me this weekend, "You have a gift." These are words I have heard many times during my 22 years of ordained ministry. When I look in the mirror, I see a frail human being struggling on this pilgrimage of faith. The gift is certainly that. It is a gift. If my words touch your heart in a profound and positive way when I preach or teach, it is a gift of the Holy Spirit given to you and for you. Please pray that I always stay focused on Christ so I can be a faithful servant leader. Blessings to all of the fathers on this Father's Day! If this day is a challenge for you because of life's circumstances, please know of my prayers for you. Men, I invite you to be models of holiness for your family. The world needs your faithful witness. The quote from Benjamin Franklin certainly resonates with me.
A couple of basic questions will suffice for today: 1. How safe do you feel right now versus how safe you felt in 2019? 2. How much freedom do you feel you relinquished in 2020 until the present moment? How much safety do you feel you received in return? 3. Are we at a point where we deserve neither liberty nor safety? Many thanks to Jim Casey and Bekah Foster for meeting with me yesterday at Halladay Motors. Your continued support to United Way and the many other nonprofit organizations within the community is astounding. Many thanks to Robert Womack for meeting with me yesterday at Spradley Barr Motors. Your continued support to United Way and the many other nonprofit organizations within the community is astounding. The competitive nature of the car business is to be expected. The impressive part to me is the collegiality that takes place when it comes to serving the community. These two gentlemen spoke very highly of each other. Each one also discussed the desire to continue to work together to build up the local community in a multitude of ways. I walked away very impressed with these individuals, and their companies. Their commitment to Cheyenne and Laramie County is evident and noteworthy. Many thanks to Rachelle Zimmerman at Cheyenne LEADS for meeting with me yesterday and sharing her expertise on designing marketing materials for the upcoming United Way campaign. Your willingness to help is deeply appreciated. I had the opportunity to meet Amy Spieker today. She serves as the Executive Director of the Laramie County Community Partnership. United Way's own Rod Hottle and Amy gave me a great overview of the excellent work being accomplished by the Laramie County Community Partnership. This afternoon I had the chance to visit with Kate Wright. She is the Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity. I received a tour of the facility and learned about the impressive work being accomplished by this organization. It goes much deeper and wider than just building houses. These last two weeks have been amazing. The amount of work being accomplished by nonprofit organizations with the support of individuals and businesses across the area is quite impressive. I have truly learned a lot about the interconnectedness of so many things across the region. I still have a lot of places to visit and a lot more to learn, but we are well on our way to charting a course for enhancing the effectiveness of our own organization. |
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