By Paula Graham
Catholic Herald correspondent
Despite theft of their money, students raise $668 for walk
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Pictured are Brandy Makovsky, back row left, Kori Kurth, Alex Kurth, Jerri Krell, Gunard Hoogland, Cody Makovsky, Casey Macholl, front row left, Jordyn Gehring, Tucker Williams, Joseph Gehring, Alan Timmers and teacher Ann Timmers. (Photo by Paula Graham) |
CATAWBA --Sixth, seventh and eighth grade religious education students from St. Paul Parish placed third in team competition at the 15th annual Walk for Life in Ladysmith. They raised $668 and brought home a trophy and memories of a muddy walk and great soft-serve ice cream.
If someone hadn't walked off with a portion of their donations just days before the event, the kids would have earned 2002 Pregnancy Resource Center T-shirts and sweat shirts, as well.
Like she does every year, catechist Ann Timmers set out baskets -- 11 this year -- at the back of St. Paul Church where parishioners could contribute loose change for the Walk for Life. On the Wednesday before the walk she went to the church to collect the money. "You can imagine my shock when I looked and there wasn't even a penny," said Timmers. "I felt terrible because I was responsible for that money."
Contractors installing a new church door offered Timmers some information. They had been approached by a man inquiring about the priest and asking access to the church to pray. "They thought he was a parishioner, so they let him in," she said.
After a while the man came out and asked again about the priest. He was told that the priest no longer lived at the rectory. Then the man went back into the church and stayed about five minutes -- just long enough, it seems, to empty the baskets and pocket the change.
Timmers estimates the loss at between $75 and $100. "It put a damper on our walk, but the kids came through," she said. "This year we had more children walking, so it brought our contributions up a little. And we had a different lesson: Not all humanity is decent like the ones you know from church."
When the students heard the bad news from their teacher, they were astonished that anyone would steal from a church. "Stealing from anybody isn't right," said Alex Kurth.
Most agreed they would like the money to be returned. "It was for a good cause," said Kori Kurth.
At first Jerri Krell assumed the team wouldn't even have a chance to get a trophy, but then she worked extra hard raising donations. "It was exciting when we heard that the group from St. Paul's won third."
Discussing what they might say to the man face to face, Tucker Williams said, "I'd ask him why and what for. If he absolutely needed it for a sick relative or something, then I hope God forgives him. I would forgive him."
Timmers said police are investigating the case on leads from other churches where the same man stopped to ask for money. But the story already has a happy ending. "God compensated," said Timmers. "We raised $668, which is a record for us. Our kids came through." And the Pregnancy Resource Center came through, too. It gave each St. Paul team member a shirt from last year's Walk for Life.
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2002