Volunteer Spotlight and Fundraisers Around the Archdiocese
Volunteer Spotlight by Jean Driskell
Welcome to this new column highlighting Auxiliary Volunteers, interviewed by our own Volunteer Jean Driskell. Jean’s initial interview is with Marie Murray, who serves on the Board of Directors and has contributed countless hours to OLPH Auxiliary for decades.
“I find the Home very calming, inspiring and peaceful. The Sisters are always welcoming. It’s definitely a home, not a house,” Marie Murray, volunteer and member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cancer Home Auxiliary, said. Murray stated that she first heard of the Cancer Home about 40 years ago, when her pastor asked her to sell raffle tickets as a fundraiser for them. “I didn’t know anything about the Home,” she said. She told him “If you want me to sell these raffle tickets, I need to know more about what I’m selling them for.”
L: Jean Driskell R: Marie Murray
Murray said that she went to the Cancer Home “to check it out, to see what it was all about.” She stated that when she walked into the Cancer Home she noticed a young boy walking around and asked her if she was there to see someone. “I said no. I’m here to see Sister. She’s going to give me a tour,” Murray said. She continued saying that the boy offered to give her the tour, thinking he was visiting somebody here and just running around the front room and hallways.
“So, he gave me the tour of the Home and afterwards we come to a room and he said this is my room,” Murray said. “I was floored. I asked ‘why are you here?’ and his words were ‘I’m here waiting for Jesus to have my room ready.'” She said that now, when she walks into the Cancer Home, she still hears the child’s voice, his words. “It made such an impression on me,” she said.
“Well, I was sold. I’m ready to sell anything I needed to sell for this Home,” Murray said. “Those words that came out of a young boy showed faith was definitely in this Home.”
She said that she went on to learn more about the Cancer Home and its traditions so that she would be able to explain it to others. From the beginning the Sisters “had many volunteers from different parishes who would do a lot of the labor,” Murray said, stating that the volunteers would do laundry, fix and serve food, clean floors and do other housekeeping chores, and also help in the Chapel. These volunteer activities eventually went to paid employees.
She said that the volunteers still come and visit with the patients; some will come and sing, and/or play guitar or even give concerts. “At times there have been people go downstairs and have parties for the patients,” Murray said, and “it’s been known there have been Elvis impersonators come to entertain the patients.” Several schools, including St. Pius X and Marist, will send students the Cancer Home as a service project, she said.
“I’m with Transfiguration [Church, Marietta] and they do a Giving Tree and Easter Baskets for the patients,” Murray said. “They’ve been doing this since 2010.” She said that her children and grandchildren have helped her sell raffle tickets for the Cancer Home in past years. The annual Luncheon has also been a major fundraising event for the Cancer Home, Murray said, noting this is held at St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell. because the Pastor, Father Peter Rau’s, mother was a patient at the Cancer Home.
“I recommend the Home highly. You would definitely die with dignity here,” she said.
Local Fundraisers Around the Archdiocese
Our Auxiliary encourages and appreciates the creative fundraising efforts held in Parishes and by women’s and men’s groups around the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Below are recent Fundraisers which serve as examples for other Parishes and Organizations (Women’s Clubs, K of C, K of PC, Teens, etc.) to consider hosting events that introduce the OLPH Home and our Auxiliary to our North Georgia community, and offer local creative ways to donate other than our Annual Archdiocesan Spring Fundraiser.
Please contact the President, Genevieve Lewis, at gmlewis1343@att.net if you would like one of our Volunteers to assist your Church or Group develop ideas for a local fundraiser.
St. Anna’s Quilters, St. Anna’s Catholic Church, Monroe, raffled handmade quilts in Sept. 2024, raising almost $2000.
The Women’s Club of Holy Cross Catholic Church, Atlanta, hosts an annual Raffle before and after Masses 2 weekends in January. The 2025 Raffle raised $7000.
St. Ann Catholic Church, Marietta, raffles a yearly handmade quilt, which raised over $12,000 this past year.
Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Decatur, hosts an annual Bazaar, featuring baskets, wreaths, and baked goods, raising $2500 this past year.
Support for the needs of the Home
What is needed of the Auxiliary today is the monetary support for the needs of the Home. In October 1956, the Auxiliary began an annual Champagne Luncheon and Fashion Show to raise money. Today it is still a Champagne Luncheon or Tea, but a Silent Auction has replaced the Fashion Show. All funds raised go directly to the Home with a small percentage withheld for operating expense of the Auxiliary.
