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Archives CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY.... FEED THE HUNGRY, GIVE DRINK TO THE THIRSTY
College years... a time to give back

Oct. 26, 2016

By Amanda Miner
Staff writer

Canton - Many view college as a time to “live it up” before entering “the real world.” College students are oftenGodsmercy caricatured as self-entitled, but in Canton, two particular students are breaking that stereotype by living out some of the Corporal Works of Mercy with guidance from their Catholic faith.

Katie Lloyd, a senior Psychology/History Major at St. Lawrence University has been feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty since her freshmen year.

Ms. Lloyd got involved with the Free Will Meal Program, founded in 1999 and based out of the Canton United Methodist Church, when searching for some way to give back.

“I loved SLU but I felt like there were a lot of superficial things in the college world,” she said. “I wanted something deeper and more meaningful during my time at college.

“I knew how blessed I was to receive my education and wanted to give back to the community,” Ms. Lloyd said. “I finally found a deeper sense of belonging and a warm sense of community.”

She volunteers at the church every Wednesday evening for two hours. She is usually in charge of serving drinks and chatting with the community members who attend the meal program.

Ms. Lloyd recalled one particular experience when she saw Christ in an elderly man she talked with: “He was sitting by himself, his clothes were very tattered, and he had already received several servings as this was probably his only good meal of the day.  I don’t remember what we talked about, but I remember feeling very connected to God at that moment.

“That’s why I go to the program, because it connects me back to my truest self, which is rooted in Christ,” she said. “I love when I get to serve him in others.”

Kate Lashway, a second year PTA (Physical Therapist Assistant) student at SUNY Canton has found a means to serve the hungry and thirsty in a more behind-the-scenes way.

She works for the Church and Community Food Pantry in Canton, run by Sharon White, a parishioner at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The Church and Community program was established in 1974 and is sponsored by several churches in the Canton community.

Many don’t fully realize the work it takes to prepare and organize the pantry before it is open to community members. Ms. Lashway re-stocks shelves, cleans, pulls expired food, and organizes.

This will be Ms. Lashway’s second semester working at the pantry and though she doesn’t work directly with the families who benefit from the Church and Community program, she still understands its importance.

“It is so nice working as a volunteer at a job that is connected to the Church,” she said. “I’m a people person, so even though I don’t directly give the canned goods to the people, I’m still aware of what is going on and know how much it helps. The hardest thing about serving is knowing how many people we help and realizing that there are that many people in need of food.”

She also appreciates the ministry’s relationship with her Catholic faith.

“To see Sharon (the director) at Mass was cool,” she said. “When I go to Mass and she is there, it is nice to feel that connection.”

Both students partially credit Newman Club with deepening their Catholic faith and giving them the boost to continue to serve.

“The Newman Spring Retreat helped me learn about the Corporal Works of Mercy and it made me want to do more to perform those acts during this Year of Mercy,” Ms. Lashway said.

“Going to meetings each week revives me and motivates me even more,” shared Ms.Lloyd. “It’s so nice to be around other people who share your beliefs.”

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