'Granny' is on the go to help needy all over

Traveling has played an important role in the life of Elaine Webber, a parishioner of Holy Infancy parish in Lake Luzerne. In fact, travel first brought her to the Albany Diocese.

"I came for a vacation," the New Jersey native said. "Dude ranches were very popular. Then I met someone and married."

That was more than 40 years ago, and she's been a Lake Luzerne resident ever since. The retired school teacher has a home in the Warren County town, but that's not necessarily where you'll find her. This is her fourth summer as a full-time volunteer at Pyramid Life Center. Last year, her work there earned her the nickname "Granny."

Granny-mobile

"My grandchildren call me Granny," she explained. "Last summer, a lot of young people were working there. I had a sweatshirt with my grandchildren's names so they started calling me granny."

The VW minibus that has taken her cross-country was also nicknamed by the young people and is now known as the "granny-mobile."

Mrs. Webber, a Sisters of St. Joseph associate and Formation for Ministry Program graduate, has volunteered in places besides Pyramid Life Center. Her desire to help has taken her to Louisiana, Texas and Haiti. This is on top of her regular commitments to North Country Ministry, Pax Christi and other local charitable causes. "I'm retired," she said. "I work, but I don't work for money."

On the go

Her interest in social justice keeps her on the move. When her daughter became involved in social justice issues as a college student, Mrs. Webber followed suit. She started as a hospital volunteer, and word soon spread through the community of her willingness to help out. "They know they can depend on me," she said.

After being involved in many projects in her parish and in the Diocese, she thought she might like to go somewhere else to volunteer.

"I heard of a couple that went to Florida with Habitat for Humanity and thought I might like to do something like that," she recalled.

She ended up with a nun in LaFayette, Louisiana, who ran a Catholic center. For a month, Mrs. Webber lived and worked in LaFayette assisting with the thrift shop, homeless shelter and providing dinner for those in need.

On to Texas

When her cousins in Texas heard about what she had done, "they said `come here.' I told them I had to have something to do."

She then learned of a nun who was working in Texas with HIV-infected babies. She went the following winter and volunteered for two months living with four infants who tested positive for HIV.

"They were born of crack mothers and they'd have to go through withdrawal," she said. "All you could do is hold them. It was the greatest Granny job I ever had. You just babied them. It was a great experience."

While it was a positive experience there was also heartache. "The toughest thing was knowing that I couldn't do anything to change their circumstances," she said. "Working with AIDS babies tore your heart out. There was nothing you could do."

Off to Haiti

Her next stop was Haiti. "I went with a buddy to Haiti. That was an eye-opener," she said. "We stayed at a guest house. It had no indoor plumbing and intermittent electricity. We had buckets to bathe in."

For two weeks one February, the women worked in the heat of Haiti at St. Joseph's home for boys.

This past spring, Mrs. Webber served as a chaperon to a group of teenagers from the Toledo Diocese as they participated in the Rio Grande Border Witness Program. Her daughter lives in that diocese, and her parish needed another chaperon for the trip. Knowing of Mrs. Webber's interest in social justice the parish asked her to join them.

The parish decided to send their teens to the border to help them become more sensitive to the Mexican farmworkers who come to their community to work.

Impressions

During the trip, the young people worked in a community garden, assisted Habitat for Humanity and listened to the stories of the refugees. The group was also invited to the homes of local Mexican families. Mrs. Webber said that impressed the young people since they would never invite the Mexican farmworkers who live in their community into their homes.

BY the end of the trip, she reported her charges were saying, "We have so much and we don't use it right."

For this grandmother of six, the trip was memorable. "It was the most impressive trip I've taken," she said.

Always helping

While her volunteer work and travels keep her going, Mrs. Webber's family has had to take some time to get used to her schedule.

"The very first time I was going to go, it was to Guatemala," Mrs. Webber said. "My son said: `Don't you know they're killing people down there?' When the trip was canceled, you never saw anyone as grateful as my son. Now they've finally decided they can't stop me."

For those who think they might be interested in volunteering Mrs. Webber offers this advice: "Start with in your own parish. Reach out in your local community to start. That's how I started. Start out small."

(07-31-97) [[In-content Ad]]