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The Daily & Sunday Review |
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| ‘Pay it forward’ winners selected 06/29/2008 By Caleb Sheaffer Staff Writer Cara Asay, Susan Brandt and Ashley Miller all desired to help the community, and now they will have the chance, with prize money from The Citizens’ Voice “Pay It Forward” contest. With the $3,000 first prize, Asay pledges to repaint and refurbish a room at His Resting Place, a maternity home for pregnant, homeless women. Brandt, winner of the $2,500 second prize, will continue to assist the Pennsylvania Masons’ campaign to purchase phone cards for troops overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. Miller, the $1,500 third-prize winner, will coordinate a children’s booth at the annual bazaar on Aug. 8, 9 and 10 at St. John the Baptist in Larksville. The proceeds from her booth will help her friend Josh Brody and his family, who are financially distressed because Josh’s father recently received a kidney transplant from Josh’s mother. The contest, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association, encourages the winners to use the money to help “pay it forward” by doing a good deed that will in some way inspire more good deeds. It was designed to show the impact newspapers have in the community. Before she won the award, Asay, 25, wanted to show her appreciation for His Resting Place in Exeter. His Resting Place took in Asay March 31, months before the home was ready to open. Asay, a former heroin addict, is trying to rebuild her life after drug and legal problems. This is difficult enough to do as is, but Asay had one small obstacle — she is pregnant and due Aug. 27. But her child might be her chance to change her life. When she discovered she was pregnant, she turned herself into authorities and was up for trial on pending drug charges. During her sentencing, rather than give Asay the seven- to 15-year jail time her charges warranted, Judge Michael Toole let Asay enter His Resting Place, giving her a chance at rehabilitation. At His Resting Place, Asay is building a future for herself and her child, a girl she plans to name Serenity. Asay is studying for her GED, working at Independent magazine and attending drug counseling. As ordered by the court, when she isn’t working or in counseling, she stays at His Resting Place. “We don’t just take anybody. We take the people who want to change their lives,” said Juanita Sarnack, director of His Resting Place. “Most of these girls, their stories are heartbreaking.” Once Asay has her child, she will stay for two more months at His Resting Place. Then her counselors will help her transition out of the home and assist Asay for two more years. With the money from “Pay It Forward,” Asay will paint and furnish a room at His Resting Place. She plans to name it after her unborn baby — Serenity’s Room. Her hope is to make it a room to benefit many women who are ready to turn their lives around. “We believe she is doing so well. She needs a support system,” Sarnack said. “She is part of our family now.” His Resting Place works in cooperation with Ark Family Ministries in Kingston and the First Steps program at Catholic Social Services. Not all of the women at His Resting Place will come from Luzerne County Correctional Facility, like Asay. Some may also come from area homeless shelters or from the street. Funded entirely by private donations, His Resting Place recently applied for non-profit status, and Sarnack hopes to house up to eight women at the facility. More than anything, Sarnack said staying at His Resting Place has helped Asay learn how to hope again. Asay even has a career goal in mind. “I want to be a drug and alcohol counselor, I think,” Asay said. SECond place winner: Susan Brandt Three Saturdays every month since the fall, Brandt, of Kingston, waits outside grocery stores with her paint bucket to collect spare change. The money she collects goes to the local Masons, who throughout the state have a program called, “Change for the Troops.” Through the program, Pennsylvania Masons raise money to purchase phone cards for those in the armed forces stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Brandt also has 12 buckets placed in different restaurants and stores. Through her efforts, she has already raised $6,500 — an amount that surprised her husband, William Brandt, the district deputy of the 12th Masonic District. When her husband presented the check to the head Mason in Pennsylvania, the leader was speechless, Brandt said. Brandt’s passion for the “Change for the Troops” program developed because she considered how difficult it would be to be a young soldier, stationed so far from home. She feels good knowing that collecting spare change will help these kids be able to “call Momma,” as she says. “I feel so bad for these kids over there,” Brandt said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would raise as much money as we did.” With the “Pay It Forward” prize money, Brandt hopes to upgrade her paint cans, and buy more patriotic items to give to people who donate to “Change for the Troops.” This way, people will have more incentive to participate in the program. She and her granddaughter, Kristen Cirilo, 14, will stand outside Thomas’ Food Market in Shavertown on July 5, and other grocery stores throughout the summer. By the winter, she hopes to have doubled the amount of money she raised so far. “The troops, they are the winners in this contest,” Brandt said. third Place Winner: Ashley Miller Ashley Miller, 13, of Edwardsville, and the students in her confirmation class at St. John the Baptist, all felt concerned for their friend Josh Brody, 12, of Edwardsville. Josh’s father, David Brody, received a kidney transplant because of end stage renal disease, a condition he has had since childhood. About four weeks ago, the kidney donor, Josh’s mother, Cathy Brody, returned to work. Josh isn’t an only child either. He has three sisters — Beth, 14, Megan, 6, and Rebekah, 2. The entire church set up a fund to assist the struggling family, but Miller didn’t think that was enough. “All through our confirmation class, we talked about coming up with some way we can help the community. We talked about different things we can do,” said Judi Howe, the confirmation teacher at St. John the Baptist. “Several kids had different ideas, and Ashley won.” Miller, and the rest of her class, sent letters to the “Pay It Forward” contest. Now that Miller won third prize in the contest, she will use the money to host a booth at St. John the Baptist’s annual bazaar. The booth will feature games and entertainment aimed at kids. Miller said she hopes to make the money grow to help the Brody family as much as possible. csheaffer@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2083 ©The Citizens Voice 2008 |
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