A summer tradition is continuing as about 18 residents from St. Augustine Health Ministries are spending the week at Camp Cheerful – a facility for children and adults with disabilities -- in Strongsville. Another 20-25 are day campers, with some attending camp each day and others one or more days.
The experience allows them to enjoy time away from the facility, get plenty of fresh air and participate in modified camp activities like swimming, arts and crafts, fishing and interacting with horses. Staff members said residents look forward to the camp week.
About 120 volunteers from more than two dozen parishes and other organizations like Angels on the Avenue and the Knights of Columbus make the week possible, said Mary Gagen, volunteer manager for St. Augustine Health Ministries.
“They do all kinds of tasks,” Gagen said of the volunteers, explaining that some push wheelchairs while others assist with activities including swimming and fishing. “Some help prepare meals and serve them,” she added.
Some parishes and organizations provide meals throughout the week. Gagen said they may purchase food, bring prepared food and serve it to the campers and staff or prepare food on site and serve it. “They eat all kinds of things like fried chicken, sloppy joes and ribs. There’s also a cookout night with hot dogs and hamburgers prepared on the grill,” she said.
Campers who spend the week are assigned to cabins with a staff member staying in each cabin to assist. Additional staff who spend the week stay in other cabins. All medical needs, including oxygen and medications, are available at camp. Campers are brought to and from camp in handicap-accessible vans.
“They just love the camp experience,” Gagen said.
The highlight of the week was on Aug. 21 – family and friends night -- when Bishop Nelson Perez visited and celebrated Mass outdoors.
“St. Augustine Health Ministries has been around for 50 years. That’s a long time,” the bishop said. He told those gathered for Mass that he was offering it for them and for their intentions. The liturgy celebrated the memorial of St. Pius X, pope.
In the Gospel, Jesus repeatedly asked Peter if he loved him. Peter said yes and seemed annoyed that the question was asked of him multiple times. He also told Jesus he would never deny him, yet he did – three times.
“Peter didn’t want to think about or talk about the difficult times that Jesus said were coming,” the bishop said. He told Peter that he would build his church on him, but Peter must love, feed and tend his sheep (people). “It wasn’t all about Peter,” Bishop Perez said, and love was not just a feeling.
“What you feel (love) must become concrete. In the early Church, there was an understanding that charity came with love. That’s what you experience every day,” he told the congregation. “St. Augustine Health Ministries and Holy Family Hospice are part of the Church and part of tending the sheep,” he added.
“When it came time for the world to be saved, God didn’t do it himself, he sent his son, who became human,” Bishop Perez said. And when Jesus asked Peter if he loved him, Peter said yes. Love is seen every day, the bishop said. “You see it through the nurses, caretakers and others. That love is shown by those who help you, those who visit and smile as they walk by.”
He said the Church of Cleveland, which is more than 170 years old, is an expression of God’s love. “When the Church of Cleveland was founded, God said ‘Feed my sheep,’” the bishop said. “Jesus wants us to know that his touch comes through the touch of others -- and he wanted Peter to know that, too” he added.
In our diocese, Catholic Charities serves more than 400,000 people each year, the bishop said, “We can thank God for the faithfulness of Catholic Charities, which took to heart what Jesus said.”
After Mass, the bishop greeted campers, their families, friends and volunteers as they enjoyed dinner. A campfire and singalong rounded out the evening.
St. Augustine Health Ministries, which began as a nursing home in 1969 on Detroit Avenue on Cleveland’s West Side, has expanded to offer a continuum of care ranging from independent living to skilled nursing, rehabilitation to respite care, assisted living to long-term care and most recently, inpatient and in-home hospice and health care. There also is a child enrichment center.
Most of the services are centered around the former St. John Hospital at 7801 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Holy Family Hospice in Parma is the newest member of the organization, which operates under the umbrella of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland.
For information on how to volunteer or donate to the camp week, contact Gagen at 216-939-7601 or mgagen@st-aug.org.
Click HERE for more information on Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Cleveland.
