The St. Catherine’s Rosary Society will once again be collecting “new or gently used” handbags for women and teens, and filling each handbag with 10-12 new items (see list below). Handbags will be donated to the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Crisis Center, Washington/Oxford, NJ and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Bronx, NY.

The Rosary Society is asking parish members to help us with the collection by donating new and gently used handbags and/or new filler items. Please make sure all used handbags are in good condition and all donated items to fill the handbags are new. All handbags and filler items can be dropped off at the Parish Center after weekend Mass until September 2nd. Please email jacobseng@mail.com or donnajo36@comcast.net with any questions.

Lynda’s Helping Handbags was started in 2016 in Green, Ohio by two sisters, Lynda Dodson and Cindy Rutherford. While struggling with serious health issues, Lynda decided on reaching out to help others rather than focusing on herself. She decided to address a basic personal necessity that all women use: a handbag — something that many take for granted. Lynda wanted to fill the handbags with common necessities and give them to women in need.

Parishioners who would like to participate in the project can donate suggested items to be used to fill the handbags, including:

• Small hand lotion
• Trial size shampoo/conditioner
• Small body spray Deodorant Chapstick or lip gloss
• Toothpaste/toothbrush
• Blush
• Tissues—individual size
• Mascara
• Pocket calendar
• Hair brush/comb
• Pens
• Nail file/clipper
• Trial size tampons/pads
• Tweezers
• Small hand sanitizer

Please remember that all items to fill the handbags must be new.

Judy La Tournous, St. Catherine’s Director of Religious Education, sent her thanks to all who made this year’s Camp St. Catherine a fun-filled event for all who participated:

Camp St. Catherine was a HUGE success this year!

Thank you to Donna Ignacz, Carol Way, Liz Strauss, Donna Gallagher, Jodi Deignan, Elaine Frederick, and Vanessa O’Keefe for giving up their entire week to help supervise. Thank you to all my Jr. & Sr. counselors for mentoring our campers all week.

Fun was had by all and I was overjoyed to hear comments like: “This was the best camp week ever.” “All the other camps always do the same thing all the time. Camp St. Catherine’s is so much fun.”

Save the date for next year: July 8
 to 12th, 2019!

Our annual parish picnic will be held on Sunday, September 30th. Stay tuned for more information, but be sure to save the date now.

VOLUNTEERS: If you would like to help out this year, please contact Patti
Longordo at 908-735-6495 or 2enphome@centurylink.net.