Outreach ministry helps sick and homebound

By PAT PASTERNAK- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

For many years, Paul Schneeburg was a part-time member of St. John the Baptist parish in Walton. A year and a half ago, however, he made the big decision to sell his business and permanently relocate from Long Island to the pastoral community in the southern portion of the Albany Diocese.

A rose-grower by trade, Mr. Schneeburg retired, moved into the farmhouse that he and his wife own in Walton, and now dedicates himself full time to the work of his parish.

"When I put a notice in the bulletin that we were starting an outreach ministry and were looking for volunteers," said Rev. Eugene Willis, pastor, "Paul came forward."

Pitching in

According to Father Willis, Mr. Schneeburg's response was what he was hoping for: someone to start a ministry of social outreach to seniors and the homebound. His wish was that volunteers would transport these parishioners to Mass, the pharmacy and the doctor, places they need to go but cannot easily get to.

"I have been active in outreach ministries for many years," Mr. Schneeburg told The Evangelist. "Parish work has always been one of the joys of my life."

As a Knight of Columbus, he volunteers once a month in the SHARE-NY program, an effort to provide meals to the needy and those on fixed incomes for half the cost it takes to prepare them. The Knights truck the meals into Walton, where those enrolled in the program pick them up.

Mr. Schneeburg is also active in the Big Buddy Program of Delaware County, serving as a friend and mentor to a fatherless boy.

Feeding the hungry

At St. John's, Mr. Schneeberg's duties include maintaining the parish hall. Part of that involves preparing the facility for the senior meals program that feeds up to almost 100 people a week.

Additionally, he volunteers his services to the area food bank, a collaboration among all Walton churches to provide food to needy families of the community.

Although the parish outreach ministry is still in its fledgling stage, Mr. Schneeburg has lots of plans. They include routine visitations to the sick and home-bound; programs of prayer, music and meditation; providing for the storage of donated clothing for those who may be temporarily in extreme need; and a program through which information for aid to families can be quickly accessed, such as job sources, rental opportunities and availability of county aid programs.

Seeking help

His first step has been to establish a list of volunteer drivers who would be available on a weekly basis to transport the homebound.

"I would like to have 14 people to begin with," said Mr. Schneeburg. "If I had two people for each day, one who would be willing to be available in the morning and one in the afternoon or evening, that would cover the whole week and get us off to a great start."

"There is a real need for this type of ministry in our community," said Father Willis. "With Paul's hard work and dedication, it should be very successful."

Dedication

The one-man committee is working with Father Willis and the parish council to draft a mission statement for the new ministry. Calls for volunteers have been placed in the weekly bulletin; by the New Year, both Father Willis and Mr. Schneeburg hope to see the ministry actively serving the needs of the parish.

Father Willis described Mr. Schneeburg as a dedicated volunteer who does devoted work.

"There is always room for volunteers on the parish level," said Mr. Schneeburg. "Doing parish work is really doing God's work. I have found great peace and joy in that."

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