By normal climatological standards, we are “smack dab” right in the middle of the dry season in Southwest Florida. Oddly enough, this past week we experienced true summertime convective thunderstorms caused mainly due to daytime heating of the earth’s surface. This has been one very weird winter (or lack thereof) in Southwest Florida so the fact that we are bucking the trend and receiving much needed rainfall from thunderstorms should surprise no one. By the time this past week has ended, we may have set several more record high temperatures.
Believe it or not, we had another car broken into on campus. Ironically, this break in took place during Sunday Mass in our parking lot and occurred while a Collier County Sheriff was present directing traffic. Obviously, this thief is very bold and not concerned with being apprehended. The break-in was a smash and grab variety where the suspect saw what he thought was a purse and smashed the window removing the goods before fleeing on foot. As it turns out, this thief is now the proud owner of a used pair of Foot Joy Golf Shoes as the footwear was stored in a bag which looked like a purse. The vehicle in question was a Mercedes, which most likely added to the odds that there may be some valuable merchandise inside. The bottom line here is that regardless of where you are (church parking lot) parked, I strongly suggest that you keep any valuables (or items that could be deemed valuable) out of view. I know that it is disconcerting that we have to go to these lengths; however, this is the nature of life as we know it now.
Not only did I give everyone a much needed break from any solicitation in my column last week, I gave you a break from Scott’s Corner altogether. I was out of town and unable to submit my column within the printing deadline given to me. This week you will see collection data for the past two weeks in the collection summary. Due to the high volume of pledges and checks received by the Diocese of Venice since CFA kickoff weekend, the statistics for our CFA amount pledged line item has not changed.
Have you purchased your ticket for the Reverse Raffle? As you read my column, the raffle is only four weeks away. My experiences with reverse raffles are many and the one thing that is most grueling is the fact that many wait until the last minute to purchase their tickets. These procrastinating purchasing patterns throw me into a panic as we MUST sell all 300 tickets for the raffle to take place. I will now take a few moments and reiterate some of the pertinent notes regarding the reverse raffle.
- The proceeds from this event will be used to assist us in reaching our CFA goal. What greater deal can you find out there? For $100.00, you assist your parish in reaching their CFA goal, have dinner, drinks, entertainment and ultimately the chance to win $10,000.00.
- You may purchase more than one ticket. If you have the wherewithal to do so, I highly recommend this option as your odds increase exponentially.
- You may purchase a ticket as a group. If you don’t want to pay the $100.00 price for a ticket, you may assemble a group of four or five and each pay $25 or $20 each. Obviously, only two may attend for each ticket so you could draw straws to see who attends. I personally buy a ticket for myself and then participate in several other group tickets, thereby increasing my odds of sharing at least a portion of the grand prize.
- You do not need to be present to win. If you are a seasonal resident and are heading back to your northern residence, we will take good care of your winnings for you. Ideally at the end of the raffle, it is nice to have all remaining ticket holders in attendance as this creates a great atmosphere for bidding. In the past I have actually called an absentee ticket holder during the final moments of the raffle to see if they wanted to split the prize with the remaining ticket holders in attendance.
- This is a very fun event – I know the thought of me calling out 300 numbers in random order doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, but the night is all about supporting your parish and camaraderie with 400-500 of your closest friends.
We have sold four benches thus far in the new campaign to place additional granite benches in the Memorial Garden, Prayer Garden and courtyard. There are no more benches available for sale in the Prayer Garden, however, there are several spaces available in the Memorial Garden and Courtyard directly adjacent to the Prayer Garden. If you are interested in honoring or memorializing a loved one through one of these beautiful granite benches, please contact me at 566.1678 to discuss the opportunities.
From 2002 through 2010, I was an active marathon runner, competing in 22 marathons throughout the country. Since the birth of my triplets, my running time has been cut drastically. If I can get in 26.2 miles in a week these days, I am happy. Recently, my wife and I found a used double jogging stroller which has helped increase my running time as my wife is left with only one child while I take two out on the road. The good news is that the babies really like the stroller. The bad news is that the effort exerted in pushing the double jogger is more than I had ever imagined. Although my mileage has been cut, the amount of effort exerted has more than doubled. Attached is a picture of Mia and Ella waiting to go for a run. Even though at times I grimace while pushing the stroller, their smiles make it well worth the effort. As always, thank you for your continued prayers and words of encouragement as our triplets turn 9 months old.
In His work together,
Scott Schlossberg, MBA
General Manager