Catholic Charities honors staff members, reflects on collective years of service

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
June 14, 2004

Staff members from all Catholic Charities locations in the Diocese of Sioux City gathered on June 1 for what turned into a celebration that affirmed their chosen career path.

After a meal, Jerry Eaton, executive director, continued the celebration by giving employees 15 seconds to come up with their guess for the collective number of years they had all served at Catholic Charities. Each person - therapists and support staff - stood up and announced the length of time they had worked at the agency. It ranged from one month for Emily McCullough to 50 years for Caroline O'Kane-Sands.

"Fifty years is 18,262.5 days; 438,300 hours; 26,298,000 seconds," noted Eaton.

When the staff members had arrived at the restaurant, they had to find their place at one of four tables by looking for scrolls that were marked with the year in which they were hired. On the inside, the scrolls listed the number of years, days, months and seconds that they had worked at Catholic Charities. It also listed various current events from the year in which they were hired.

With all 21 staff members, Eaton noted that they had served more than 300 years at Catholic Charities. A member of the support staff, Linda Novak, had guessed closest so she received a T-shirt and baseball hat.

Eaton pointed out that when they discovered that some of the employees - were celebrating milestone anniversaries at Catholic Charities like Sands' 50th and Doreen Loeffeholz's 30 years, they opted to recognize all employees because they knew the individual staff members do not search out notoriety.

Some of the other long-timers on the staff include Audra Cole at 47 years, Marilyn Murphy at 34, and another four with 20-plus years, including Eaton who joined the staff in 1979 as a therapist.

The celebration was planned by Eaton, Cole and Steve Elbert, who is the agency's director of development.

Referring to Sands' 50-year history with Catholic Charities, Eaton acknowledged that "a lot has happened in 50 years, but one thing that has not changed is the mission of Catholic Charities."

He asked the people why they have stayed at Catholic Charities and every person gave a response.

"For me - I liked what I was doing and I liked the people with whom I worked," noted Sands. "The 50 years, believe it or not, really flew by."

Ruth Rathe, a 26-year secretary/receptionist at the home office in Sioux City, stressed the fact that she has stayed because she believes in the mission of Catholic Charities.

For Cole, clinical director at Catholic Charities, mentioned that her professional career at the agency has been a compliment to her faith.

"I have been involved in hiring almost everyone and I thought I picked the cream of the crop," she said.

Loeffelholz, clinical supervisor at the Carroll office, pointed out that the work and programs at Catholic Charities attracted her to the agency.

"I have seen the agency grow, but there have always been good people and there have been programs that have enabled me to do my job as a social worker to help people in their lives," she said. "It can be years down the road and a client may contact me and say, 'You don't know how much you helped me.' It has been a rewarding experience for me."

Another person, Susan Ruhden who serves as supervisor of the Fort Dodge office, worked for the agency, then left and came back in 2004.

"I don't know if I knew until I left the agency how connected I felt to the agency and how much the mission, philosophy and the people are special here," she said.

Meg Bessman-Quintero, a bilingual therapist at the Sioux City office, has worked at Catholic Charities since 2005. She said she believes God puts people where they are supposed to be and thus far she has found the work and the fellow workers to be enjoyable.

For Leslie Goodrich, who has worked at the agency since 1998, said there is a camaraderie and respect among the staff members that creates unity.

Elbert described Catholic Charities as "very much a Jesus organization."

Murphy, social concerns facilitator, pointed out that she continues to stay because her boss continues to let her try to change the world.

Each staff member received a plaque as the gathering drew to a close.