Light rain and lingering storm clouds couldn’t dampen the spirits of the faithful who had come to support those less fortunate through the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fort Wayne. On Sunday, September 22, the organization held its eighth annual Friends of the Poor Walk and Tailgate at Parkview Field in downtown Fort Wayne. Participants were encouraged to make donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fort Wayne while also collecting pledges from supporters, with all proceeds going directly to each walker’s chapter, or conference, to help their neighbors in need pay for items such as groceries or utility bills. “It’s been growing each year in the revenue we’ve been able to build for our society, and also by the number of people who have come each year,” Lara Schreck, Executive Director of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fort Wayne, told Today’s Catholic. “It’s fun when you do an event this many times in a row, because people then begin to look forward to it year after year.” Photos by Eric PeatExecutive Director Lara Schreck announces a record amount of funds raised by the day of the walk on Sunday, September 22, in downtown Fort Wayne. The afternoon began with a tailgate, including food trucks, fellowship, and music, followed by registration for the walk. Although three different route options of varying distances had been planned, the threat of inclement weather limited walkers to the 1/3-mile concourse around Parkview Field. Before kicking off the walk, Father Kevin Bauman, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Fort Wayne and spiritual adviser for the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fort Wayne, asked those in attendance what it means to be a Vincentian. Being a part of this society, Father Bauman said, requires uniting earthly Vincentian qualities – such as generosity, humility, and service – with everything heavenly. Father Kevin Bauman, Spiritual Advisor for the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fort Wayne, addresses those gathered prior to the Friends of the Poor Walk on Sunday, September 22, in downtown Fort Wayne. “You and I are called to outreach in the world and be that face of Christ, those hands of Christ, that heart of Christ right here in the world,” Father Bauman said. “So, you and I, while reaching out to the poor, we also bring them Christ. Never, ever forget that.” Schreck then revealed that the organization had already raised $77,000 for the event, its highest amount ever raised by the day of the walk. She also announced the priest and parish that won a friendly competition by raising the most money for the event: Father Tom Shoemaker and St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Fort Wayne. Along with donations the day of the event, Schreck was hoping to surpass last year’s total of $82,000, which was already tops of any district in the country. Walkers from St. Vincent de Paul conferences across northeast Indiana participate in the Friends of the Poor Walk on Sunday, September 22, in downtown Fort Wayne. I attribute that to the volunteers who are in these parish conferences and the dedication and commitment to our organization and what it does,” Schreck said. “I think our parish communities are drawn to the fact that our organization is about person-to-person services. We go into people’s homes and meet them face-to-face in a place they feel comfortable. That’s how you develop trust: by treating people with love and compassion, praying together, and discovering what their needs are.” Of the 23 parishes within the district, 17 of them had participants in the walk a year ago, and these local conferences were once again well represented in this year’s event. Pat Beuchel, a parishioner of St. John the Baptist in New Haven, participated in his fifth Friends of the Poor Walk this year. Beuchel said it’s a good way to give back some of what God has blessed him with. “I think it’s wonderful,” Beuchel said. “It’s normally a good opportunity to show the city that we’re out here, we’re an arm of the Catholic Church, and a little chance to evangelize.” Walkers from St. Vincent de Paul conferences across northeast Indiana participate in the Friends of the Poor Walk on Sunday, September 22, in downtown Fort Wayne. Elena Lock and her fellow parishioners from St. Gaspar in Rome City, who just began a St. Vincent de Paul Society conference at their parish last year, drove a little more than an hour to walk in the event. “For me, a big thing is walking in community,” Lock said. “Growing up, it was more … I share my faith by myself. So, coming together as a community and sharing that together is what makes it worth it.” The walk was the latest event in an already busy year for the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fort Wayne, which recently completed improvements to its thrift store downtown. The store now features a new passenger elevator, a drive-thru donation area, and a new exterior façade, with plans in place for an expanded woodshop and job training room. Those interested in volunteering with the organization can get involved by visiting svdpsfw.org. The post St. Vincent de Paul Society Holds Friends of the Poor Walk appeared first on Today's Catholic.