Mass burial grave called Saint Christophe

(By Mike Gilhooly – RTLC)

We arrived safely in Haiti on Saturday. Unfortunately the Internet and electricity have been out until today (Tuesday.) We attended Mass Sunday morning at Sacred Heart under the tent as the church was ruined by the earthquake last year. That hasn’t stopped hundreds of people from attending Mass. The site has been for the most part cleared and being made ready for re-building. I was amazed by the devotion and faith shown by the Haitian Catholics. Posters showing the devastation alongside posters showing the proposed new building are hung for all to see.

Read full story at the RTLC website——>

I received an email from Mike Gilhooly earlier today informing me that he and Sister Johnice of the Response to Love Center are going to Haiti in support of the Sante’-Bus Foundation.

This is Mike Gilhooly’s first time there and if you recall, Sister Johnice went in 2010.

As with her trip last year, it will be documented on the Response to Love Center website.  (click here to view)

Sister Johnice has been assisting in raising funds for the foundation to help aquire mobile medical vehicles to provide health care for the Haitian people.

Keep them both and the Haitian people in your prayers.

www.ResponsetoLoveCenter.org

(By Mike Gilhooly RTLC) Celebrating 25 years of service, the Response to Love Center held a Silver Anniversary Gala at the Rich Renaissance Atrium in Buffalo New York. The event was attended by more than 260 people that enjoyed a fun filled evening that included a silent, Chinese and live auction.

The auctioneer and host for the event was Emmy Award Winner News Anchor Maryalice Demler from WGRZ Channel 2 News. The venue and dinner provided by Rich Products Corporation offered a beautiful backdrop to the evening. In addition to the auction there were raffles for a $5000 diamond and 5 Nun Dolls that had a surprise attached to each one. The winners picked out the Nun Doll of their choice and then opened the envelope to reveal an additional prize.

Read full story—>

This is another video by Mike Gilhooly highlighting a vendor at the Market…this time around, it is Everything’s Very African!

http://broadwaymarket.org

This is another video by frequent BFA contributor Mike Gilhooly of RTLC fame…this time around he stops at Niagara Popcorn in the Market.

Awesome…

[see Mike's video from last week]

http://www.niagarapopcorn.com/

[click here to see video]

(click image for full view)

(Editor’s note: The picture above says it all…ALIVE!)

(By Mike Gilhooly – RTLC) Earth Day 2010 started at about 7am in the parking lot of the Response to Love Center on Buffalo’s East Side. Hundreds of volunteers assembled from WNY AmeriCorps, Home Depot and local home owners and tenants ready to turn a neighborhood around. It was a chilly start but the gallons of Dunkin Doughnut Coffee warmed everyone! Mark Lazzara Director of WNY AmeriCorps introduced Sr. Mary Johnice Director of the Response to Love Center who started the day with a prayer.

The teams were dispatched according to their particular talents and led by ‘Crew Leaders.’ Some were sent to repair masonry, install windows and doors, landscape and lot clean-up. Many residents came out to help but did not officially register so an exact tally would be hard. The weather could not have been better, sunny and around 55 degrees made it perfect for painting and concrete work. An appeal for roofers was met by the Buffalo Roofing Company and work started on the houses needing roofing work.

The project is not going to be just a one day project, the work will continue throughout the entire year with residents submitting “wish lists” of work needed. Some of the projects begun simply could not be done in one day for example; preliminary measuring and planning for a furnace replacement was done today but the actual installation will be done in a few weeks when the correct components are ordered and arrive. The old furnace is under the house in a crawl space and was difficult to service, because of that it was not maintained properly and did not work when it was needed most. The newly designed heating system will be in the attic making it much easier to maintain and will be a high efficiency unit saving money and making the house much more comfortable for the occupants.

The mood was electric as Extreme Home Makeover recipient Delores Powell gave a moving and inspirational talk before lunch break and came to work with her daughter in the Peace Garden.!

More information to follow as the project moves forward.

More photos click here ➟

(Mike Gilhooly – RTLC) Earth Day “Good and Green Homes” Project kicked off yesterday morning bright and early with the replacement of the sidewalks and entrance slab in front of St. Adalbert’s. A WNY AmeriCorps team also started to scrape the old paint using the newly enacted lead containment procedures and prep some of the houses for a fresh coat of paint.

Stay tuned for more information as the project moves forward.

More photos by by clicking here—>

http://responsetolove.org

Received an email from Mike Gilhooly from the RTLC that the center has a redesigned website.

http://responsetolovecenter.org/