Franciscans for the Poor, a ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, were the beneficiaries of the Lowe’s Heroes Program from the Mason, OH Lowe’s store.
Neal Oury, Paint-Home Decor Manager, for Lowe’s of Mason, met Marci Peebles, Executive Director of the Franciscan volunteer group, when she was at Lowe’s replacing blinds for Tau House, an old convent in St. Bernard, OH, now used to house students and adults for week long mission trips to Cincinnati.
Lowe’s employee volunteers spackled, painted, repaired and refurbished the lower level, dorm rooms and first floor living areas donating time and labor over two days. Lowes provided all the materials and 8 employees to complete the much needed updating.
Said Peebles, “It would have taken us a year or more to complete the work in the house. We have on average 20-30 students each week during the summer as well as others times during the year, so there’s barely time to clean, do laundry, and get the house ready for the next group. Our mission groups come from all over the country; we value their time and want to direct as much as possible to the Cincinnati charities that need their help.” She added: “Franciscans for the Poor partners with 25 different agencies in the Cincinnati area to provide volunteers to help serve those in need.”
Angie Rentschler, HR manager and Lowes, said: “Anytime we can reach out to support the community, whether it’s disaster relief or in this case, a charitable organization that helps others, we are happy to contribute.”
These Lowe’s Managers and employees helped at Tau House:
Eric Overbey, Lumber; Robert Williams, Electrical, Chelsea Rentschler, daughter of HR Manager; Michael Madsen, Assistant Store Manager; Angie Rentschler, Human Resources Manager; Susan Lyons, Front End Customer Service; Molly Olds, Flooring, Neal Oury, Paint-Home Decor. Kathleen Barefield, Store Manager and Jack Carruthers, Plumbing, served as part of the team as well.
Franciscans for the Poor is a part of the Franciscan Ministries, sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor. The Sisters were the builders of St. Francis/St. George and Providence Hospitals as well as Social Service agencies serving the sick, the poor, the elderly and the marginalized in Cincinnati.
The Franciscan Ministries include, Tamar’s Place, a welcoming place for women in prostitution; Haircuts from the Heart, free haircuts and haircut vouchers for the homeless or poor; Art for All People, offering art programs at the Drop Inn Center and Tamar’s Place; Our Lady of the Woods, an independent senior community in Cheviot and Centennial Barn, the restored 115-year-old barn that now hosts classes and community and business rental event space.
For more information about Franciscans for the Poor, service experiences and opportunities to volunteer at the Tau House, contact Marci Peebles at directorfranforthepoor@fuse.net.
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