Once A Bulldog, Always A Bulldog
Kornfeind Benefit Update!
There's still time!
Stop in any time during school hours at our high school campus or make your entries during the Fresh-Soph game or the first half of the Varsity game on Tuesday.
You can't win (or help the Kornfeinds) if you don't enter!
And the current donation total is . . .
If you want to make a donation to the Kornfeind family via Aquin, please make checks payable to Aquin and send them to or drop them off at 1419 South Galena Avenue.
The Note from Reenie
Many of you, including Reenie, were unable to attend the Mass and benefit on the 29th. During the Mass, Tim McGinnis, Reenie's brother, read the following note from Reenie, written on January 28th.
Hello everyone,
Firstly, I want to thank all of you for taking time out of your day to be here. I was planning on being here, and even looking forward to putting on makeup and dressing in something other than my sweats. Unfortunately the oncologist wasn’t happy that my white blood count was lower than the normal low, and he advised me to stay home and not come out until my second chemo set for next Thursday. To those of you who have experienced chemo, you understand the difficult dance and steep learning curve involved.
I will keep this brief so you can eat.
On behalf of myself, Chris and Erin, I just want to express our deep and heartfelt thanks to all of you. Words do no justice in trying to describe our appreciation for the kind thoughts and words, cards, prayers, meals, food and gas cards, and donations that have been such a huge help to the kids and I.
Thank you to Laura Diemer for taking this benefit on and making it possible. I’m grateful and humbled by it all. I’m thankful as well that as a result I’ve reconnected with classmates with whom I’d lost touch. 37 years is too long!
And thank you as well to the many people whose names I may never know who I’m sure have volunteered their time and resources to bring this about.
And I hear that some of Mike’s UPS buddies are here serving breakfast, which I’m especially sorry I’m missing!
Thank you guys! I’m honored that you took time from your day off to do this. I’m sure Mike feels honored as well. Anybody still wearing his UPS shorts? (I had to ask)!
Thank you also to the prayer warrior communities of St. Mary, St. Joseph and St. Thomas Aquinas parishes for their constant and continual prayers, even asking people who don’t know us to pray for us, and for the many hours of perpetual adoration and masses given on our behalf.
If not for your prayers I don’t know where we’d be.
Most of you know the timetable and events of the past 3+ months, and the phrase “in the blink of an eye” definitely fits. There’s never a roadmap to follow when life turns upside down like this, and we often feel like we’re in the dark surrounded by despair and pain.
But miraculously, in between those times I’ve felt glimpses of strength and peace that I never imagined could even exist in such a helpless, horrifying situation.
One particular day after Mike’s and then my diagnosis, I told God in no uncertain terms how I felt, and He assured me He’d be there no matter what I’m feeling. I also had a sense that He would show me that even when faced with two of my worst fears, they would be no match for His power and the peace He wants for us.
So to sum up, I really believe that your prayers and support are the reason we’re getting those moments of God’s Strength and peace that we least expect but desperately need. I’m certain it’s your prayers that are keeping us afloat. So, please keep the prayers coming! They are truly a life preserver for us.
Well by now Mike would be saying, “leave it to Reen to start a deep conversation right when we’re ready to eat”! “let’s eat before it gets cold”! So, again, thank you all for everything.
Reenie, Chris and Erin