WICHITA FALLS — Bright and early the morning of Saturday, May 16, when many people might otherwise enjoy sleeping in or relaxing at home, a group of 18 people comprised of volunteers, community members, and Catholic Charities Fort Worth Northwest Campus staff members gathered in the atrium of Vernon College’s Century City Center in Wichita Falls.

“I think today is a day to celebrate our volunteers. The volunteers that we have at Catholic Charities are our hands and feet, so we could not accomplish what we do throughout the year without them. This is such a wonderful day to not only give back to our community but to also celebrate with our volunteers and work alongside them through these projects to show how much we care about our community,” said Nina Feldman, manager of CCFW Northwest’s Advancement.

In previous years, the CCFW Northwest Day of Service included a Texas Ramp Project, cleanup of a residence in Wichita Falls, and handwriting cards to veterans and students who are in Catholic Charities Northwest programs.

“It is so rewarding. These are the types of events that really enable me to live out my faith. It is not just a job at Catholic Charities. We can meet individuals in the community and give back. It is just something that fills my cup every day,” said Feldman.

 

Ramping up service

Manuel Borrego, retired police chief and a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Wichita Falls, led the group in prayer before they left for two worksites.

Ten of the volunteers and staff drove to a home in Archer City, 26 miles south of the city, to help with the Texas Ramp Project, which builds wheelchair ramps for elderly and disabled people who can’t afford one.

At a rustic dark wood home, volunteers in pastel blue shirts immediately started working by picking up and carrying wood off the trailer to the backdoor of the house where they would build the ramp.

Cory Curtis and Elias Sanchez, both with the Texas Ramp Project Vernon area team, helped oversee the site for this year’s Day of Service.

The organization invites community organizations, such as Catholic Charities, to partner with them on projects to make a difference in their communities.

The smell of fresh wood and grass filled the windy air as Sanchez explained the process, and the super loud buzzing sound of the saw cutting the wood drowned out the sounds of the leaves and tree limbs swishing in the wind. In less than an hour, the volunteers were working like a professional construction crew who work together all the time.

One group of volunteers attached the main ramp supports to the concrete steps beneath the backdoor of the house. The other group took turns cutting wood, putting screws into planks, and moving planks into place.

Sandy Lindsay and Paula Moore, friends and longtime residents of Wichita Falls, were both part of the group cutting wood and worked quickly throughout the process.

Lindsay and Moore said this was their second time to participate in the Catholic Charities Northwest Day of Service and with a Texas Ramp Project.

“It is just very rewarding to see the recipient’s face when they walk out on this ramp. Something that was done for them makes all the difference in the world. It is just really nice to know that just a few hours of work can be such a blessing to someone,” said Lindsay.

Moore talked about her love and respect for CCFW Northwest.

“We know that Catholic Charities does so much for our community,” she said.

Jacqueline Nuttall, who has lived in Wichita Falls nine years, said this was her first time to participate in a CCFW Northwest Day of Service.

“I pattern it just like our Savior. It is important to serve, and we are supposed to help each other and support each other. It is very important that we do that. And I love how they started out with us in prayer. It puts us in the right mindset of what we are doing,” she said.

Meanwhile, other Day of Service volunteers went to clean an office building next to the parish office of Sacred Heart so CCFW Northwest can move into that building temporarily. The eight worked hard in their service, including Sacred Heart parishioner Lilian Byars. She wiped off a counter while her young adult son, Luis, vacuumed the carpet of a room next door.

“It is nice to serve our community and more than our church. We give a little work because we receive everything from God,” said Byars.