Several Catholics from Chemung County received Works of Love awards at the annual Catholic Charities Social Ministry Dinner, held June 5 at the Hill Top Inn in Elmira.
Recipients were:
· Ted and Shirley Semesky (Christ the Redeemer Parish) for their work related to health care, and their comfort provided to sick and dying neighbors.
· Rita Bergh (Blessed Sacrament) for leadership with Catholic Relief Services initiatives and public-policy advocacy.
¬∑ Theresa McNamara (Blessed Sacrament) for service at Elmira Community Kitchen and leadership with the Friends of St. Francis: Care for God’s Creation and the Poor team.
¬∑ Monica Ellsworth (Chemung County Ladies of Charity) for communications leadership on the organization’s anti-poverty projects.
¬∑ Eleanor Ackerson and Mary Alice Clark (St. Mary Southside) for longtime coordination of the parish’s funeral hospitality ministry.
· Father Christopher Linsler (pastor, St. Mary Our Mother) for his strong encouragement of parish social ministry.
· Michelle Drake (Notre Dame High School) for coordination of monthly meals served by junior-high students at Elmira Community Kitchen.
Also at the June 5 dinner, Notre Dame was noted for its recent recognition by the Chemung County Youth Bureau for its longtime involvement with the community kitchen.
