Photo-Shy

That's Patty Lewis, who started Alexandra's House (http://www.alexandrashouse.com/), and who doesn't like her picture to be taken. I told her I would take it anyhow, so that I could get her to read my blog. Blessings, Patty!

A Lonely Sentinal

Only dust, memories and our faithful dog, Pedro, remain in the living room of the house in which we have lived for 23 years.

We raised our four children in this home, which we bought from a former DeLaSalle counselor.

It's served us well, but we need to move on with our lives.

Our Honda Arrives!

Our Honda arrived in Hilo Harbor Thursday following its Pacific crossing.

Shortly afterwards, we heard reports it was headed to the nude beach. You know those Hondas - kind of racy!

Bob Miller

I received an extraordinary call the other day from Bob Miller (in picture at left). Bob is the Founder of the Robert E. Miller Insurance Company and current COB of the Miller Family Foundation.

The call was extraordinary not because Bob wanted to know if he "owed" DeLaSalle a gift. That was an unusual way for one of our friends to inquire about whether they had an "outstanding" pledge, but it was not extraordinary.

No, what was extraordinary occurred after I told Bob that I was sorry to have bothered him recently by sending materials to him about our capital campaign.

Bob knew what I really meant when I alluded to being sorry, and he forthrightly told me that I should not be sorry for what many of us in Kansas City knew what was about to occur to Bob in his battle with cancer.

In fact, he told me, that was the other reason for his call, to tell me how much he had enjoyed working with me and supporting DeLaSalle over the years. He related some of his remembrances of me in a very kind and thoughtful manner, and said that his impending death was "joyful" and was what he had been preparing for throughout his entire life.

I told him that I thought it was extraordinary that someone who had helped support so many charities for so many years would take the time to call me personally to tell me what he had just said, and I offered to pray for him.

He firmly told me that he had enough people praying for him, and that I should pray instead for those who had lost hope and who had no one else to pray for them.

When we said goodbye, I knew this was probably the last conversation I would ever have with this extraordinary man who had helped change the lives and living conditions of many in Kansas City and throughout the world.

I was grateful for this remarkable human being, and whispered a prayer for him nonetheless. Then I fulfilled my promise to Bob and prayed for someone else.

Ray Goffinet

Ray Goffinet (left in picture at left) has been a long-time supporter of DeLaSalle.

When I first met Ray, it was 1985, and he had just given a significant (and unsolicited) gift to DeLaSalle. I went out to personally thank him, and he told me how much he admired Godfrey Kobets. Ray said that he wanted to support Mr. Kobets' legacy.

Over the past 25 years, I have visited Ray perhaps a dozen times. He has continued his generous support of DeLaSalle, but I never knew THE REST OF THE STORY...until this past Wednesday.

I happened to be in Ray's neighborhood after a fundraising call , and thought I would stop by and say hi. Ray is a very mild-mannered and hospitable gentleman, and I knew I would be welcomed if he was at home. I never knew he had any family until I met his sister, Dorothy Kapsch (she is to the right in the above picture), who told me that morning about two of the family's relatives who had gone to the old De La Salle in the 1920s. These young men (their last name was Muser) had both become paralyzed and were unable to finish their high school coursework, so the Christian Brothers went to their home and tutored the young men who eventually received their diplomas! What a wonderful story, and another reason why people in Kansas City think so highly of DeLaSalle, and the legacy Godfrey Kobets established to carry on exceptional work to provide a quality education to those most in need!

Thanks Ray and I appreciate meeting your sister and learning the rest of the story of your generosity! And thanks to Godfrey Kobets and to all of the Brothers and our staff, who carry on an incredible legacy of service!

Crime Beater

Carolyn Watkins is the DeLaSalle Human Resources Director (pictured working at her desk at left).

Her corner office allows her a sweeping view of the entire back of the DeLaSalle parking lot.

As she was getting ready to go home last Wednesday, she saw a suspicious sight: someone bent over a car and removing the registration tags from the vehicle.

Without a second thought, she called to her co-worker, Dana Shelton, to follow her immediately as she dashed out the back door.

By then, the suspect was almost a block away.

She and Dana got into Carolyn's car and followed the suspect, while calling the police department to meet them in the direction the suspect was going. Remarkably, within a few minutes, the police apprehended the suspect based on Carolyn's directions and confirmation of the suspect and arrested the individual AS HE WAS IN THE VERY ACT OF TRYING TO SELL THE STOLEN TAGS TO ANOTHER PERSON!

She may look like a mild-mannered office worker, but Carolyn Watkins is a force to be reckoned with, no matter where she is!

Carolyn Chases the Bad Guy...

...and helps Dana (at right) to recover her stolen auto tags! They're both amazing! (More to follow....)