Ft. Walton Catholic Charities gala hits goal, fuels ability to serve
Monday December 01, 2008, Fort Walton Beach
PEGGY DEKEYSER | FLORIDA CATHOLIC PENSACOLA-TALLAHASSEE BUREAU EDITOR
SANDESTIN | People bought tickets, dressed up in fine clothes, dined and danced at the Hilton Sandestin Nov. 1 at the Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida’s Fort Walton Beach regional office gala. Meanwhile, somewhere in the area, a 17-year-old single mother of two was thanking God for each and every one of them.
The gala, attended by 250 patrons, reached the agency’s fundraising goal. It featured the music of Jones and Company and was highlighted by a video presentation of the work of the agency. One of the stories told was of that young mother and the special place Catholic Charities has earned in her heart and her prayers.
One chilly afternoon recently, as regional director Carolyn Ketchel was leaving the agency’s office, she noticed the young woman writing a note to place on the windshield of her car. As Ketchel approached, the young woman told her that she had to leave the broken-down car there and would be back in four days to take it to be fixed. Ketchel explained that it wasn’t possible for the car to remain in the lot. The young woman burst into tears and explained her situation. She was out of money and had been forced to take out a restraining order against the children’s father. Ketchel calmed her fears and reassured her that the reason the car wasn’t going to remain in the lot was because the agency would pay to have it towed and repaired that same day. She then asked the young woman to come in to the office to get some groceries and supplies for the children.