Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

From the

Official News Magazine of the Diocese of Spokane

(From the April 27, 2006 edition of the Inland Register)

The Gonzaga Prep Destination ImagiNation teams won top honors at the State Competitions in Wenatchee earlier this month. One team will be heading to the Global Finals at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, at the end of May.

Destination ImagiNation (DI) builds participants’ creativity, problem solving, and teamwork. Teams of five to seven members work together for approximately seven months to apply creativity, critical thinking and talent to solve a long-term challenge. At competitions, the teams present their solutions to judges and also compete in an instant challenge, unknown to them until the day of competitions.

Taking third at State were The Inside Dimension team of Nick McMichael, Dan Parisot, Joe Kestell, Bob Kestell, Kale Krugh, and Dillon Thorp. The Kidz Rulz team will go to Global Finals: Pat Michaud, Ann Freeman, Brendan Sowers, Azalyn Croft, Jenny Drake, Sam Uliano, and Kenny Cullitan.

Morning Star Boys’ Ranch is looking for volunteer families to become part of its “friendship family” program.

“Families would need to be able to make a consistent commitment to the assigned boy,” said Brian Barbour, Morning Star Program Director. “The commitment would vary, depending on the individual needs of the boy. For some boys it might be once per week. For others it could be once a month.”

“The goal is to provide a boy a view and an experience of healthy family interactions and to participate in family-life activities,” Barbour said.

All family members must be willing to make a commitment to the program and to required training. Families participating in the program are teamed with a Morning Star social worker, who provides support for the family and the boy.

To learn more, call Barbour at (509) 448-1099 or e-mail brian@morningstarboysranch.org.

The annual Spokane CROP Hunger Walk is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 30. Registration begins at noon.

Walkers collect pledges for their miles walked during the event. Pledges can be designated for particular anti-hunger efforts, such as Catholic Relief Services.

This year’s walk begins at Martin Centre, on the campus of Gonzaga University, and proceeds along the Centennial Trail.

Of the monies raised by the event, 25 percent are committed to local anti-hunger efforts. The remaining 75 percent is distributed to global efforts.

Walkers also are asked to bring a donation of a non-perishable food for Second Harvest Food Bank.

For information, to walk, or to sponsor a walker, call 326-5656. Donations also can be made on-line at www.cropwalk.org

Members of the Spokane Chapter of Pax Christi presented their annual Peacemaker Award to Al Mangan during a meeting last month at the Catholic Pastoral Center. Al is a veteran of two wars – World War II and Korea – and has educated and advocated for non-violence and an end to war ever since. In the front row, from left, are Pax Christi members Kathy Dellwo, Judy Butler, and honoree Al Mangan; in the back, from left, are Bill Niggemeyer, Scott Cooper, Holy Names Sister Anne Bosserman, Jody Dunn, Deidre Allen, and Trish McGraw. (IR photo from Pax Christi Spokane)