2022 Parish Stewardship Award Recipient . . .

Ted Eisner!

Ted Eisner recipient of 2022 Stewardship Award

Ted Eisner could wear many badges for the good that he has done in our church, community and his family! He was raised in the Rib Lake area, and at a young age was drafted into the Army, serving in Viet Nam. He then returned to the area and married a local gal, Cheryl Olson who he knew from childhood. They have been married for 49 years and raised their children in this community. Family has always been important to Ted, and he has shown it over the years by helping with his parents, in-laws, children and grandchildren whenever help was needed.

Ted attends weekday Mass and Adoration quite often and has served on the Parish Council. He is an usher, a greeter, a Eucharistic Minister, and also serves on the Fall Festival committee. Come winter or summer, snow or rain, Ted changes the outdoor church sign along the highway.  He has also been seen shoveling church sidewalks, setting up and grilling chicken at our Fall Festivals, and putting up Christmas trees and other decorations. He has been active with the local Knights of Columbus, helping often with the KC Bingo.

For more than 11 years, Ted has been delivering Meals on Wheels to residents of our community. He is an active member of the American Legion Post in Rib Lake and attends many military funerals to honor deceased veterans. He also helps organize many of the Legion events and is always there with his sleeves rolled up, at Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Ice Age Days and other Legion events. He also helps maintain the Memorial Park at the end of Main Street. Our outdoor American flag at the church was donated by him!

As busy as this person is, he will always take the time for a friendly visit with you. Please join us in congratulating and thanking TED EISNER for his demonstration of love for family, parish, and community, and for being our 2022 recipient of Good Shepherd’s Stewardship Award!

NOTE:  We have been doing a parish Stewardship Award for several years. There are so very many people that are generous with their time and talents at this parish. Even if you have not been named, know that we value each of you for your generosity to this parish.

Previous Stewardship Award recipients include the following individuals:

Tom Gojmerac (2009) (Tom also won the 2009 Spirit of Stewardship Award in our Diocese)
Ruth Martin (2013)
Debbie (Mrs. Tom) Gojmerac (2014)
Judy Cihasky (2015)
Velma Mann (2016)
Pearl Kauer (2017)
Cheryl Eisner (2018)
Andy Dums (2019)
Mary B. Thums (2020)
Christine Wille (2021)

Our many thanks and congratulations to our 2021 Stewardship Award recipient, Ted Eisner!

2021 Parish Stewardship Award Recipient

Congratulations to our 2021 Parish Stewardship Award Recipient . . .

Christine Wille!

Christine Wille 2021 Stewardship Award Recipient



Each year a stewardship award is presented to a parishioner that has gone above and beyond. There are many exceptional volunteers at Good Shepherd, so when one is chosen, they are a true blessing to this parish family.

Chris has been teaching religious education classes since about 1987. She began as a substitute at Chelsea when the first grade teacher was unable to continue teaching, and she has been teaching ever since. 

For a time, Chris taught second grade and prepared her students for Reconciliation and their First Holy Communion. Teaching, as all catechists know, involves not just showing up for class, but also preparing lessons in advance.  Teaching younger students includes working with the Christmas play each year. It also includes making crafts, teaching through storytelling and more.  She has even made prayer pillows for students over the years!  When Good Shepherd parish came into existence in 2005, Chris stepped up to the plate and served as Coordinator of Religious Education.   

But this person’s gifts go beyond Catechetics.  Through the use of her financial background, Chris served a number of years on the parish Finance Committee and continues to serve as parish Finance Trustee at Good Shepherd.  This individual also audits our parish finances on a regular basis. She also serves as a Eucharistic Minister at the parish.  

She is one of the main organizers and assistants for all our parish fundraising raffles. From set up to finish, she is there.  Everything she does, is done well!

This person’s heart is always with her family. We hear she is an exceptional cake decorator. Whether it be family birthdays, weddings or anniversaries, she is the one being called on for a special cake.  (Now that the parish knows about this, she better beware!)

This person is also involved in community work. She is the treasurer of the Chelsea SWAT Snowmobile Club and has been for many years. She has also helped with many other community fundraisers.

She is friend to many, and foe to none. She is a prayerful and humble friend and neighbor among us. If you don’t see her in our pews on a weekend, you can bet she will be in the pews somewhere else.  Her witness indicates that God comes first in her life.

Our many thanks and congratulations to our 2021 Stewardship Award recipient, Christine Wille!

2019 Stewardship Award

Andy Dums!

This year’s parish stewardship award goes to a man who has been a lifelong member of this parish community.  Like a number of our parishioners, this parishioner will drop what is being worked on at home to come and help whenever help is needed at the parish or for a friend or a neighbor.

This parishioner has served on the parish council in years past, and currently serves on the Buildings & Grounds Committee—having been there since its inception. He is also an usher/greeter.

Although this individual isn’t afraid to tackle any job, most of his work includes special help with fixing our outdoor church bell and lighting and electrical issues. He is familiar with our PA system and was instrumental in seeing to its installation. Whenever help is needed with microphones or clip-on mics—whether it be for our Christmas plays, assistance with visiting priests, or parishioners needing to learn to use the ear buds to hear better during Mass, this person is right there. He was there for our larger projects as well—like work involving our old church windows, our new stained glass windows and the church ceiling. We’ve seen him cutting debris from our ditches, and helping cut down dead trees. And let’s not forget about the snow shoveling on our roofs in the winter and how he used his equipment for snow removal from the lot and removal of brush and other debris during grounds clean ups—at no charge! We have seen him build anything we need out of metal and he also does welding repairs at the church. He has been working on hall doors and entry doors and you can see him on ladders changing out lights both indoors and outside. When the timers for our outdoor lights need to be adjusted, we call upon Andy. He is there to help with fall and spring clean ups. He is our eyes for the needs of our church and grounds. He is a friend to many and he is always willing to help.

Our thanks and congratulations to Andy Dums, our 2019 Stewardship Award recipient.  He truly is a “Handy Andy” that we are blessed to have among us.  God bless you, Andy!

2018 Stewardship Award

 

We are pleased to announce our 2018 Parish Stewardship Award Winner:

Cheryl Eisner!

Stewardship Award 2018

2018 stewardship award winner cheryl eisnerThis person has displayed the true meaning of stewardship for many years. Of all the gifts this person has, they are used to bring glory to God. She and her husband attend Mass each weekend and often attend weekday Masses too. You will often see her at adult formation classes, because of her eagerness to learn more about her faith. She and her husband also share in a number of parish ministries.

So what makes this person so special? Well, she is humble, compassionate and sincere about all she does. You will find her serving as a reader, usher, Eucharistic Minister and sacristan. You will find her serving on the Decorating Committee, working especially during the Advent and Christmas, and the Lent and Easter seasons. You will find her watering plants at the church.

This person helps set up and assist at funeral luncheons. She is one of our money counters for the weekend collections. She serves on the Parish Council. Not everyone knows that she also mails out our parish bulletins each week to the homebound, at her own expense. She cleans the rectory and mends our pastor’s clothes when it is needed.

This lady was a Confirmation catechist a number of years ago, and this year is taking on a new catechetical role at the parish. She will be assisting students that have fallen behind in preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion. She has taken Holy Communion to the homebound when there was a need.

Family is also very important to this lady. Since retiring, she has had more time to enjoy and care for her grandchildren. She takes her mother to appointments and is there to support her in many other ways.

This lady taught elementary school for many years before retiring a few years ago. She and her husband passionately support the Abiding Care Pregnancy Resource Center by attending their annual reception, and at one time she even helped at their office. You will see her working at the Senior Citizen Center. She is an officer at the local American Legion Auxiliary and serves at all their fundraisers and other special events for both the Legion and Auxiliary.

We would imagine there are other things she does that we are not even aware of. We ask that you join us in congratulating and thanking CHERYL EISNER for her demonstration of love for family, parish and community.

2016 Stewardship Award

velma-and-lester-mann
Velma and her husband, Lester

We are pleased to announce our 2016 Stewardship Award winner—
Velma Mann!

This lady is an exemplary example of sharing her faith, especially with the youth of this parish. She has served as a catechist for 27 years, and currently holds an Advance Level of Certification through our diocesan religious education program. She has helped with Vacation Bible School for the last 25 years, and served as coordinator for that program for most of those years. Velma has completed the Lay Ministry program offered through our diocese. She also is a reader and Eucharistic Minister at the parish. Currently she serves on the Pastoral Council and, has done so over the course of the years.

Outside the parish, she has served as a teacher until her recent retirement, but still substitute teaches in the area. She has also coached youth for a number of sports activities. Most days now, she is occupied with her grandchildren and it is easy to tell the amount of joy they bring to her life.

This lady has mentored a number of youth over the years, always encouraging them and working to build up their self-esteem. Youth often turn to her for guidance where they know they will receive a pat on the back or a high five for their accomplishments. She allows and encourages youth to express their minds and guides them in discussions that will help keep them morally on the right track. She is caring and considerate, and full of energy. One of her goals is to succeed in giving Father Otto a “gator ride,” as she asks him to go most times when she comes to the parish office! She is a convert to the Catholic faith and has certainly witnessed service to God, parish, family and community.

God bless you, Velma, for accepting the Lord’s call in all you do!