Fr Michael Becker was born the oldest of three children, and raised in St Cloud, Minnesota.

 

He graduated from the University of St Thomas in 1987, with Bachelor degrees in theology and economics.

 

For a number of years he engaged in ministry to Catholic high school and college students, through NET (National Evangelization Teams) and St Paul’s Outreach.  In May of 1999 he was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of St Paul/Minneapolis, also as a member of the Companions of Christ, a local community of diocesan priests.

 

He served for three years as Associate Pastor at St John the Baptist in New Brighton, and then for seven years as Pastor of St Michael Catholic Church in St Michael, Minnesota.  He was thereafter assigned to St John Vianney College Seminary, becoming Rector on July 1, 2010.

 

He now also serves as chaplain, St Vincent de Paul Hmong Catholic community.

 

He enjoys prayer, theological reading, travel, hiking in mountains, and Italian cuisine.

 

 

 

 

President Grant conducted a thorough presentation summarizing our current status as a club and stimulated our thinking about the future.

 

Grant summarized the Club’s 2018 community funding that totaled $22,750 to sixteen groups.  He reviewed how the Club has served others during the past year with projects that included:  Roadside Clean-up, Feed My Starving Children work, 3^rd Grade Dictionary Project, Encouraging Young Writers Project, volunteering at Loaves & Fishes Garden and Sand Creek Park.  

 

Administratively, the Club hired an accountant, evaluated a new bulling process, and separated financial duties that strengthen our internal controls.

 

We currently have 36 members active in the Club.

 

Our Foundation Account has a balance of about $8,000 that is available for community projects.  The Club’s operating checking account has about $20,000 as of October 31^st.

 

 

Grant outlined several areas that the Club could explore.  Those initiatives included:

 

 

Election of club officers will occur in January.  Matt Stemwedel has expressed interest in the President-Elect position.  Grant is seeking nominations for the treasurer and secretary positions.   If you are interested in any of these elected positions contact President Grant.  If you think someone would be qualified to fill one of these positions, talk to them and encourage them to consider one of these leadership roles.

 

 

 

 

 

Mannella, Dawn Lee (VanSlyke), age 80 of Coon Rapids, MN passed away Nov. 24, 2018 surrounded by the love of her family.

 

She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Felix Mannella; children, Denise (Tom) Klint, Marci (Rob) Wills, Shelley Mannella, Tony (Danielle) Mannella, Felix Mannella Jr., Maria (Dan) Linders, Fred (Gel) Mannella, Frank (Christine) Mannella, and Angela (Tim) Hoffman; 19 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; brothers, Gregg VanSlyke and John (Kellie) VanSlyke; many nieces and nephews.

 

Dawn is simply, love. She married her best friend and loved him more as each day passed. Theirs is the greatest love story ever told. She loved her children, all nine of them.

 

Her greatest gift was teaching them to love each other and to love Jesus.

 

She was blessed to be "Granny" for grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who felt her love all of the time. She was also mom and granny to many exchange students, refugees, homeless individuals, and her children's friends. Her love knew no bounds. She touched the lives of neighbors, friends, her extended family and complete strangers. She smiled throughout each day and said prayers for everyone each night. She saw the positive in every day. She made everyone she met feel loved.

 

She will be missed by many of us who she would call regularly, many of us she prayed with, or just sat with and listened. There will be a hole in our hearts with her gone, but she would want us to fill our hearts with love for God and others.

 

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Feed My Starving Children or Reiser Relief for Haiti.

 

Mass of Christian Burial, Mon. Dec. 3, 10:30AM with visitation one hour prior at the Church of the Epiphany, 11001 Hanson Blvd. NW, Coon Rapids.

 

Visitation will also be held Sun. Dec. 2, 3-7PM with a prayer service at 6PM at Washburn-McReavy Coon Rapids Chapel, 1827 Coon Rapids Blvd. NW, Coon Rapids.