St. Joseph parishioners wrap presents at mall

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
December 22, 2005

SALIX - Parishioners of St. Joseph Parish in Salix have continued a long tradition this year of having a wrapping booth at Southern Hills Mall. The booth raises money for projects in the parish.

The money raised this year will go to refinishing the pews and redoing the kneelers in the church, noted Margaret Wood, a St. Joseph parishioner.

"We've asked a lot of people, and we don't know the last time the pews have had any attention," said Wood. "We thought it was time for them to have some attention."

The parish is currently taking estimates for the pews in hopes to have them finished next summer. With Christmas and confirmation in the spring, it is a busy time of year for the church, added Wood.

"It will have to get done during a time when the church isn't so busy," she said.

According to Wood, she welcomes anyone who knows of someone who has experience in refinishing to contact the parish.

Lorie Merrill, a parishioner at St. Joseph Parish and coordinator of the wrapping booth, pointed out that the parish has provided the booth in the mall for about 22 years now.

"They originally started this to support the school in Salix," said Merrill. "I have been doing this about 12 years. We have been using it to do different things."

In the past, the parish used the money to make the church handicapped accessible with an elevator. The money is mainly used to help with whatever is needed in the parish, noted Wood.

"We thought that if we had a more specific purpose for it (this year) that people of the parish would be able to see the fruits of their labor," said Wood. "We thought the pews were something that we see and use every week. We thought it would be a good project."

The booth opens the day after Thanksgiving and closes on Christmas Eve when the mall closes. The hours of the wrapping booth are the same as mall hours including the holiday hours.

Volunteers from the parish wrap presents with name tags and bows as the finishing touches. All together there are about 100 families that help including setting the booth up, tearing it down and everything in between.

"It is a good way to meet everybody from church," said Merrill. "Nobody has time after church anymore to say hi. You get to know people. It is neat and fun."

Throughout the years, the priests serving at St. Joseph Parish have also helped with the wrapping. Merrill stated that with the new assignment of Father Patrick O'Kane to St. Joseph Parish, he is the fifth priest that has helped with the project. Others include Father Don Slaven, Father Bruce Lawler, Father Nash and Father Wieland.

"Father O'Kane is new with us this year. He is a wonderful wrapper," said Merrill.

Merrill mentioned that during Christmas week she tries to have six people at the booth each shift. The last two days before Christmas, she likes to have eight to ten people each shift.

"Some of them may only have time to give an hour. Some will stay all day and some will stay for four hours," said Merrill. "Everybody tries to do whatever they can."

Merrill commented that at the holidays people are in a good mood.

"It is a good time to get everyone together," said Merrill. "It works well. It has a purpose. It is like a whole family group project. We have been able to do this and do it successfully. It has worked well."