Maryknoll Affiliates

For the past two years, Maryknoll affiliate students at RBC have learned about the mission work of Mrs. Kathy Jones Dunford who is a member of the class of 1961. Kathy has corresponded with the students through letters, photos and emails and the students have responded by writing to her, raising awareness among our students about her work and also sponsoring numerous fund raisers to help support her in mission. So it was with great anticipation that the students finally got to meet Mrs. Dunford during her two day visit this past week. Kathy spoke to combined groups of religion classes in our school's auditorium, sharing with them the story of her personal journey towards Maryknoll and mission as well as showing them a wonderful power point presentation about her work as a physician's assistant in Kitale, Kenya.  During her two days of outreach, approximately 750 students learned about her mission work.

Kathy Dunford and Mary Logan with baby hatsTowards the end of the second day of her visit, the Maryknoll affiliate students and the members of the school's knitting and crocheting club held a surprise party for Kathy. The affiliates presented her with a check for $1,000 to help support her work at St. Raphael's clinic and the girls in the crochet club presented her with nearly 100 infant hats that they had knitted for the new born babies in the maternity clinic. The crochet club moderators, Ms. Jeanne Skrobot and Mrs. Susan Flaherty did a great job decorating the classroom with the baby hats  while the girls baked cupcakes that looked like balls of yarn!   During the party many of the students took advantage of their time with Kathy to ask more in-depth questions about life in Kenya and her work there as a physician's assistant.

Everyone present had a wonderful time and we at RBC look forward to continuing our relationship with Kathy who has recently renewed her contract as a lay missoner and will be returning to Kenya in June.   GO, RBC!!!  "Once a Casey. ALWAYS a Casey!"