| "Come, Walk With Us! |
ST. GERARD WALKATHON
"Helping Pregnant Girls & Women In Need"
1. Where did the idea originate?
During my religious conversion and return to the Catholic Church, God instilled
in me a deep appreciation for life and led me to volunteer at a crisis pregnancy
center. Counseling was not my strong point though, so I left and tried
something else, which I then left again. I was searching for something unique
that would create a spark of hope for pregnant girls and women in need, so that
more of them might innately steer clear of abortion and choose life for their
babies.
The Holy Spirit eventually made things clear for me and the walkathon around
Gates Pond was born. I chose St. Gerard as the patron because he is the
patron saint of expectant mothers, and they are the ones who make the
ultimate life or death decision for their babies. I chose Birthright and Spring
House as the recipients because their gentle and loving approaches are very
effective with expectant mothers in crisis. Both organizations are life affirming
and neither promote abortion as an option.
2. How did you get started?
The idea came one day while I was walking in the spring of 2004, and I jumped
right in. I talked with a few people, consulted my pastor and spiritual director,
advertised a little, and told as many people as I could. Less than three months
later, with my mother and aunt running the registration table, I held the first
walk. There were about ten people total. We raised $1049.
3. Who supports you (mentally/emotionally/spiritually/practically)?
4. What kind of response have you received?
The response has been quite good, especially given the local aspect of the
walkathon, the limited manpower, and the fact that helping pregnant girls and
women in need is a disquieting cause for many people, including many
Catholics. In four years, $13,000 has been raised.
By spreading the word with email, blogs, message boards, and chat rooms, we
have received donations from California, western Canada, Washington, D.C.,
and Louisiana, to name some. More response has also come with the publicity
from two recognition awards, one from Birthright's MA State Chapter, and the
other from the Knights of Columbus' Council in Framingham, MA.
Having said that, the actual turnout on the day of the walk could be higher. We
have yet to reach 100. It would be uplifting to one day have a turnout like the
ones for cancer, especially because both are life or death causes, and both
deserve similar support.
5. What inspired/s you to do this?
God. It is all a gift from Him. During my reversion and renewal with the Catholic
Church, I came to know the sacredness of that first cell and of that last breath
of every human life. And I came to want pregnant girls and women in need to
know that too. Now I want everyone to know that.
6. What's the greatest challenge?
The greatest challenge is staying the course amidst the walkathons and
fundraisers for other causes that attract a lot more people and raise a lot more
money. At times, I doubt the fruitfulness of my effort.
7. What's the greatest reward?
The greatest reward is the growth I've seen in my two sons. They have come
each year, walked the walk, handed out t-shirts, and gone from a resistant
"Why do we have to do this?" to an anticipatory "When's the next walkathon?"
They now look forward to seeing repeat walkers each year, and they have an
anchored sense of commitment, of helping others in need, of respecting life,
and of believing that they themselves can make a difference.
8, What are your long-range goals?
Locally, I am committed to running the walkathon until 2013. That will be ten
years and then I'll reassess things. I hope to weave in more help from
volunteers and generate more proceeds. I would be thrilled to raise $10,000 in
one year alone.
More broadly, I have a vision of the St. Gerard Walkathon going national.
Imagine:
St. Gerard Walkathon - Hudson, MA, St. Gerard Walkathon - Victorville, CA, St.
Gerard Walkathon - Wichita Falls, TX, and St. Gerard Walkathon - Topeka,
KS, all being held on the same day. With proceeds going to everyone's local
crisis pregnancy centers, shelters and services, we would form a web of
support across the country.
9. What point must I be certain not to miss in writing about the St. Gerard
Walkathon?
You can do it too. Find your interest and do something that cultivates and
promotes the dignity of life. Become a catalyst and strengthen the network of
support needed nationally. For ideas, start with a visit to www.stgerardwalkathon.org
During my religious conversion and return to the Catholic Church, God instilled
in me a deep appreciation for life and led me to volunteer at a crisis pregnancy
center. Counseling was not my strong point though, so I left and tried
something else, which I then left again. I was searching for something unique
that would create a spark of hope for pregnant girls and women in need, so that
more of them might innately steer clear of abortion and choose life for their
babies.
The Holy Spirit eventually made things clear for me and the walkathon around
Gates Pond was born. I chose St. Gerard as the patron because he is the
patron saint of expectant mothers, and they are the ones who make the
ultimate life or death decision for their babies. I chose Birthright and Spring
House as the recipients because their gentle and loving approaches are very
effective with expectant mothers in crisis. Both organizations are life affirming
and neither promote abortion as an option.
2. How did you get started?
The idea came one day while I was walking in the spring of 2004, and I jumped
right in. I talked with a few people, consulted my pastor and spiritual director,
advertised a little, and told as many people as I could. Less than three months
later, with my mother and aunt running the registration table, I held the first
walk. There were about ten people total. We raised $1049.
3. Who supports you (mentally/emotionally/spiritually/practically)?
- - each Person of the Holy Trinity, Mary, and the saints
- the community at St. Benedict Abbey, Still River, MA, where I am an
Oblate
- my pastor and parishioners
- my friends and volunteers
- my two sons, my mother, my siblings and other family members
- many local churches
- the people at Birthright and Spring House
- corporate & organizational sponsors
4. What kind of response have you received?
The response has been quite good, especially given the local aspect of the
walkathon, the limited manpower, and the fact that helping pregnant girls and
women in need is a disquieting cause for many people, including many
Catholics. In four years, $13,000 has been raised.
By spreading the word with email, blogs, message boards, and chat rooms, we
have received donations from California, western Canada, Washington, D.C.,
and Louisiana, to name some. More response has also come with the publicity
from two recognition awards, one from Birthright's MA State Chapter, and the
other from the Knights of Columbus' Council in Framingham, MA.
Having said that, the actual turnout on the day of the walk could be higher. We
have yet to reach 100. It would be uplifting to one day have a turnout like the
ones for cancer, especially because both are life or death causes, and both
deserve similar support.
5. What inspired/s you to do this?
God. It is all a gift from Him. During my reversion and renewal with the Catholic
Church, I came to know the sacredness of that first cell and of that last breath
of every human life. And I came to want pregnant girls and women in need to
know that too. Now I want everyone to know that.
6. What's the greatest challenge?
The greatest challenge is staying the course amidst the walkathons and
fundraisers for other causes that attract a lot more people and raise a lot more
money. At times, I doubt the fruitfulness of my effort.
7. What's the greatest reward?
The greatest reward is the growth I've seen in my two sons. They have come
each year, walked the walk, handed out t-shirts, and gone from a resistant
"Why do we have to do this?" to an anticipatory "When's the next walkathon?"
They now look forward to seeing repeat walkers each year, and they have an
anchored sense of commitment, of helping others in need, of respecting life,
and of believing that they themselves can make a difference.
8, What are your long-range goals?
Locally, I am committed to running the walkathon until 2013. That will be ten
years and then I'll reassess things. I hope to weave in more help from
volunteers and generate more proceeds. I would be thrilled to raise $10,000 in
one year alone.
More broadly, I have a vision of the St. Gerard Walkathon going national.
Imagine:
St. Gerard Walkathon - Hudson, MA, St. Gerard Walkathon - Victorville, CA, St.
Gerard Walkathon - Wichita Falls, TX, and St. Gerard Walkathon - Topeka,
KS, all being held on the same day. With proceeds going to everyone's local
crisis pregnancy centers, shelters and services, we would form a web of
support across the country.
9. What point must I be certain not to miss in writing about the St. Gerard
Walkathon?
You can do it too. Find your interest and do something that cultivates and
promotes the dignity of life. Become a catalyst and strengthen the network of
support needed nationally. For ideas, start with a visit to www.stgerardwalkathon.org
| INTERVIEW WITH NATIONAL CATHOLIC REGISTER |
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| Copyright © 2007-2008 St. Gerard Walkathon. All Rights Reserved. |
| Marge Fenelon, a Correspondent for the National Catholic Register, asked Kathleen Laplante nine questions. Her responses are below. |
| November 2007 |