14th Bellingham Friends of the Poor Walk September 28th
Last year’s walkers assemble at Saint Blaise Church in Bellingham. This year’s Walk will begin at the Church at 9 a.m. (registration begins at 8am) on Saturday, September 28. If you would like to participate in the Walk, all you have to do is show up.
By David Dunbar
Would you like to help those in need in Bellingham? Well, here’s an easy, generous, safe way to do so, and you’ll get some exercise in the process.
The 14th annual Bellingham Friends of the Poor Walk will happen on Saturday, September 28. It will begin at 8 a.m. at Saint Blaise Catholic Church at 1158 South Main Street with registration followed by a 1.5-mile walk starting at 9 a.m.
“We’ll start with one lap around the parking lot,” explains Maureen Dedominici, who’s publicizing the event,“and then walk to the Town Common for a few rounds around the park, and back to the church.”
“We had about 30 walkers last year,” she says, “and raised about $8,300 for Bellingham residents who needed help with electric, oil, gas, insurance, rent, food and other bills that they could not afford.”
Dedominici is a former president of the Saint Blaise Conference which is part of the national St. Vincent de Paul organization that raises money nationally, and internationally, to help folks in need.
Last year, they assisted 70 local families – 350 people in total – and raised $48,000 to help. It came mostly from three fund raisers conducted by Saint Blaise: a clothing drive, a calendar raffle, the Walk and other donations.
“It’s hard for people to ask for help,” says Dedominici. The process to request help is confidential.
Reasons for folks to call include “those who have fallen on hard times, might have a financial crisis, an injury, job loss, serious illness or something else,” explains Dedominici. Many times, the help includes access to fuel assistance or food stamps.
She adds that they do not give out cash, but pay bills partially or fully depending on the circumstances.
As a walker, you can pledge any amount from a handful of coins to a wad of paper cash. That can be decided at registration just before the walk begins.
You can also donate by going to www.saintblaise.org and scrolling down to “Online Giving.” Then, select “St. Vincent de Paul Society” and make your donation.
“As walkers,” explains Dedominici, “we always carry a banner, and we get beeps, waves, honks as we go along. Everybody is ramped up for the walk, which ends with coffee, donuts and fruit at the church.”
“It’s a bit of a social occasion… kids can walk with us… strollers are welcome… it’s walking for a cause,” she adds.
All the money collected goes directly to the needy in Bellingham. “There are no administrative fees. It doesn’t matter what the recipient’s religion is, we are here to fully help everybody who needs it,” she notes.
Over her seven years as president of the local conference and beyond, she observes that calls for help have increased. “They are more dire, more complicated. We have yet to say ‘No’ to a neighbor in need.”
If you need help, or know someone who does, you can call Saint Blaise Church at (508) 966-1258 extension 6. You may need to leave a message, but you can expect a call back within 24 hours.
