The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued...

Left to right, Jack Baker, Larry Miller, Ivan Cunningham and Walter Little. (Courtesy of Rita Martin Holland)

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued...

Left to right, Gene Martin, Ina Lott Whittington and Jane Cathy. (Courtesy of Rita Martin Holland)

Relay for Life - American Cancer Society

Dear Family, Friends and Neighbors,

I have participated in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life event the last three years and have become more involved by serving on the committee overseeing the success of the event.

The success really depends on you as supporters and sponsors of those who participate and walk through the night at Relay. We walk for 18 hours to support all those survivors and caregivers who suffer and fight 24 hours a day to defeat this terrible disease. We do remember Cancer is a word NOT a sentence.

I would like to invite each of you to participate in the event, but if you can't, then I would be honored to have you as a supporter or sponsor.

Our fight unfortunately cost real, hard earned money, but we don't ask for a lot. Any contribution you can make helps those who are less fortunate and need your support.

This will be my fourth year to walk and I appreciate all of your past support.

The Flagler Relay provides assistance to those in need who are financially unable to provide certain needs. In these hard economic times Cancer does not stop.

Please support me again in 2010 in this important cause by making a secure, tax-deductible donation online using the link below. You may also send a personal contribution to me at the address below.

To donate online now, Go to http://main.acsevents.org/goto/bobwitty or relayforlife.orgflaglerfl
Relay For Life® is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million people worldwide to:

CELEBRATE the lives of those who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight.
REMEMBER loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, people who have walked alongside people battling cancer can grieve and find healing.
FIGHT BACK. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.

Whatever you can give will help - it all adds up! I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

If anyone is offended by my request I apologize, but this battle against cancer is my passion and unfortunately is never ending..

Sincerely,

Robert Witty, Chairman, Relay for Life, Flagler County 2010

Robert W. Witty P.A., GRI

Broker Associate

Hammock Sotheby's International Realty

Two Camino Del Mar

Palm Coast, Fl. 32137

toll: 866.749.6934

cell: 386.931.6179

fax: 386.446.6216

email: Bob@hammocksir.com

http://www.hammocksothebysrealty.com/

WHERE DREAMS BECOME REALITY

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued...

Dr. Edward "Ed" Habert and his lovely wife Judy. She is holding our 50th Year alumni booklet. (Courtesy of Rita Martin Holland)

Alumni Drawing at Football Game!

Please pass this along to any SAHS and SFXA Alumni!

There will be an Alumni Tent set up at the football game tonight. All Alumni are encouraged to check in at the tent. Everyone checking in will be entered in random drawings for door prizes. The prizes range from dinner certificates, A Club merchandise to a 19" flat screen HDTV w/ built in DVD player! There is no cost involved. Just check in to be entered into the drawings!

Don't forget to vote for our mascot The Flash! He has made it to the Final Four of the Mississippi Mascot Challenge and as of Wednesday was in first place with 46% of the vote!!! Go to WJTV.com keyword: mascot and vote. There is no limit to how many times you can vote. The winning mascot will be notified by WJTV and Zaxby's at the November 6th game!

GO FLASHES!!!!


Patty Mekus
Development Director & Alumni Affairs
Vicksburg Catholic School
St. Aloysius / St. Francis Xavier
1900 Grove St./ 1200 Hayes St.
Vicksburg, MS 39183
Office: 601-630-9762
Fax: 601-631-0430

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued...

William "Bill" Adams, Ivan Cunningham, unidentified lady, Larry Miller and an unidentified man. (Courtesy Rita Martin Holland)

Sister Robyn's Golden Jubilee

Gail Marie Huser, better known as Sister Robyn

Help was there for Sister Robyn, who had helped many...

by Gordon Cotton ~ The Vicksburg Post

What does a retired nun do?

"I mostly walk the dog," Sister Robyn said.

But don't he fooled by her seemingly leisurely lifestyle and the pastoral setting in which she lives off Fisher's Ferry Road, for her 50 years in the Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy have been filled with hard work and good deeds. Her story is proof of the adage to "cast your bread upon the waters" as well as the selfless devotion of a friend, sister Patricia.

By man's standards, Sister Robyn shouldn't be alive, but God must have had other plans. Few would have thought, several years ago, that she would be around to celebrate her Golden Jubilees and renew her vows - - both of which was celebrated this past Sunday at the 11 o'clock Mass at St. Michael. A reception was held in the parish hall.

Sitting at the beakfast room in her home last week she laughed and said to "make the questions simple."

~~~~~~~~

She grew up in West Texas, born in Lubbock and raised in Slaton. She was Gail Marie Huser, of Czech heritage. There weren't many people in Slaton, she said, but there were lots of "chickens," chickens and more chickens," for her father not only raised them, but he also had three feed stores.

She went to the local Catholic School, operated by the Sisters of Mercy, and the resident priest, Father O'Brien, usually asked the children what they wanted to be when they grew up whenever he visited the school.

"I would say I want to be a nurse, like my Aunt Ellen," little Gail Marie said, "That's what I'm going to do."

When she was a senior in high school and Queen of the May festivities, she took the crown and placed it on the head of a statue of the Blessed Mother," and it just struck me that day" that she would enter the convent. That was in 1959. She took training in St. Louis, then went to Mercy College in Detroit where she received her BSN. Later, she earned her master's degree in nursing administration at the University of Southern Mississippi.

What brought her to Vicksburg?

"Well, that was an easy decision. You had no choice. We were told where to go," she said. "But it was a good choice."

Sister Robyn began as head nurse in OB-GYN in 1966, but in 1967 went back to her hometown for two years while her father, Robert, was ill. She had chosen the name in honor of him when she took her vows, so her time at home was very special.

In 1970, she came back to Vicksburg and held different position in the nursing profession with the Sister of Mercy, and from 1975 to 1982 she was director of nursing, then vice president of nursing services. It was during those years that she began the volunteer program of the Candy Stripers at the hospital.

Sister Robyn was working in Jackson in 1988 with the homeless and chronically mentally ill, when she suffered Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome with full-blown cardiac arrest. It was over an hour before she got to a hospital, and a week later she suffered another massive heart attack while in ICU. For three months, she was in a coma, then in the hospital for seven months, followed by about two years in rehab, some of the time in New Orleans, some at Methodist Hospital in Jackson.

Few patients recover from such an ordeal. Part of her brain was destroyed, and plans were to put her in a nursing home.

That's when Sister Patricia stepped in.

"No way," she said. She would take care of her. Sister Patricia, from Biloxi, had been director of nursing at Mercy Hospital, and the two Sisters had become good friends. Sister Robyn credits Sister Patricia's tenacity with her amazing recovery.

She used to play the piano, organ and accordion, but that knowledge and talent has been wiped out and can't be relearned because that part of the brain was destroyed. She can't do numbers at all, "but I can usually find the last line of a hymn in the book," She says she's more outspoken than she used to be, "and people say they like me better now." In looking at some old photographs taken of her when she was in school, she said, she didn't like them, "but they speak the truth."

Was she a good patient?

She doesn't remember, for she was unconscious much of the time, but she does recall that she was not very happy with some of her sisters in New Orleans. However, things got better when she found that friends had brought her some money,"and I had the best time in the gift shop. I loved to get snacks."

Two therapist told Sister Robyn she had to stay in therapy longer, and she "cried and cried and cried. They thought I was dumb, but I really wasn't that dumb." a speech therapist assured her that she could go home, so after much commotion she left New Orleans. She was so excited that in a little while she asked Sister Patricia, "Are we home yet? We are only in Metarie!"

Before long they are home, and Sister Robyn's condition improved to the point that she was soon back at work in a wheelchair as a volunteer in Vicksburg and downtown Jackson.

What goes 'round had come 'round, for those she once taught and nursed took care of her, wheeling her to wherever she needed to go.

One of her projects, before her illness, was starting a medical clinic associated with the Stewpot in Jackson, persuading doctors and nurses to volunteer their services. She also helped established group homes in three cities and providing dental and health care free for the mentally ill. Another project was securing a $307,00 van, outfitted with medical facilities, to go into the Delta to care for children. It is operated in collaboration with the University Medical Center School of Nursing and staffed with volunteers.

One of those volunteers is Sister Robyn, back in her chosen profession, in her role in life, helping others.

One of the delights of her life is her dog, Crickett Marie, a large animal that looks like a mix of boxer and Great Dane. She and Sister Patricia found it about three years ago around Thanksgiving, emaciated, frightened and cowering in the weeds, looking at first like a deer. They could never find an owner, and Dr. James Valentine kindly provided it with medical care. They name it Crickett, and Sister Robyn added Marie to give it a religious standing.

This past July 4, Sister Robyn was walking Crickett Marie when a large rattlesnake bit the dog twice. A call to Dr. Dale Cordes saved the dogs life.

Of course, the dog is a special pet who adores the two ladies. She has a ferocious bark - - and possibly a bite, too. They may have spoiled her a bit, but Sister Robyn said they have their rules and priorities.

"We have our coffee first," she said, "then Crickett and I go walking."

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued...

Left to Right, Judy with her husband, Edward "Eddie" Habert and Theresa Martin Kitowski with her husband, Charles "Chuck" Kitowski. (Courtesy of Rita Martin Holland)

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued...

Left to right; Dickie Matherne, Myrtle Loviza Alvarado, Sonny Logue and Gene Martin. (Courtesy of Rita Martin Holland)

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued

Louis "Sonny" Logue and myself, Marian Love Phillips

(Courtesy of Rita Martin Holland)

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued...

Kay Hess Simms and Jim Simms.

Homecoming Week ~ 2009

It's Homecoming week - St. Aloysius Homecoming Parade today Thursday October 8 at 5 PM on Washington Street, downtown Vicksburg followed by pep rally in the gym.

St. Aloysius Homecoming game against Salem tomorrow night October 9 at 7 PM

Monday October 5 - Friday October 9 - SAT10 - Stanford Achievement Tests Grades 1-8 St. Francis

PTO Tuition Buster Raffle-$1000-1st Prize, $500-2nd Prize.$5/Chance. Stubs & Money due to office by Thursday October 8

Drawing during Homecoming Game on October 9

Early Dismissal on Friday

St.Aloysius classes will dismiss at 11:30am on Friday October 9 for homecoming preparations. St. Francis students will dismiss at regular time.

Click here to see photos of Homecoming 2009!

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued...

Left to right, Ina Lott Whittingson, Myrtle Loviza Alvarado, Vera Marshall Brown, Kay Hess Simms, Theresa Martin Kitowski, Sue McNamara Fowler, and myself, Marian Love Phillips. (Courtesy of Rita Martin Holland)

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker Continued...

Dr. Edward "Ed" Habert and Theresa Martin Kitowski looking at a photo album. (Courtesy of Rita Martin Holland)

The Ware House Resort Ice Breaker

Kay Hess Simms and Mickey Sullivan enjoying the evening together.

(Courtesy of Rita Martin Holland)