Dear Friends,
We take hurricanes very seriously in our Florida Marist Brothers’ retirement facility. That includes having our neighbor, who’s a topnotch mechanic and a loyal Marist Brothers’ friend, check out our home’s gas generator before hurricane season whirls into full gear.
Without a backup generator our Brothers face serious dangers when a hurricane or serious storm shuts down power! Life-saving medications that must be refrigerated could go bad. Our less mobile Brothers are left helpless in the nighttime darkness. A power outage means the Brothers have no landline or chargers for cell phones. What if a health crisis arises and 9-1-1 must be called?
So, when our neighborly mechanic announced that our Florida home’s backup generator had conked out, I immediately purchased a new one. The Brothers would be safe! However, our budget took an unexpected heavy hit – $4,900 to be exact.
Today I ask for your support. Your gift – whether that means $15 or even $25 – will be an enormous help! Can we count on your generosity?
The home’s old generator had faithfully served my Brothers for more than 20 years, and everyone thought it had a little get-up-and-go left. But as it turned out, our mechanic couldn’t get “ol’ reliable” to turn on. It wasn’t worth repairing, either. “The best you’ll get is a temporary fix,” he said. “And it will probably just conk out again. It’s time to buy a new one.”
A new generator arrived the next day – delivering safety as well as a $4,900 invoice.
Please help us cover this unexpected expense.
My Brothers and I will be so grateful for your gift.
If you’re thinking I bought more backup power than needed, let’s go through my decision process. My first step was to mentally walk through the retirement facility and decide what the Brothers must keep running when a hurricane or severe storm wipes out the electricity. I already mentioned several top priorities, like the refrigerator, emergency lighting, and a phone. Running the central air conditioning did not make the list, but enough energy to maintain a “cool room” with one portable ac unit is essential.
Several elderly Brothers in our Florida home are on heart medications, which can exaggerate the body’s response to heat. When a storm knocks out power – and the central air conditioner goes off – some of my Brothers are at high risk for heat stroke and other serious heat-related health problems. We must keep them cool! Extreme heat also affects your blood sugar, so Brothers with diabetes are at high risk for hazardous side effects unless we can give them relief from the heat.
I certainly don’t expect any one person to cover the new generator’s entire $4,900 price! Although, if every Marist Brothers’ friend sends a gift we’ll collect what’s needed in no time! Think of the two nickels tucked in with my letter. Standing alone, the nickels add up to only 10¢. When added to many more nickels, they add up fast. In the same way, all the gifts from every Marist Brothers’ friend will add up to the $4,900 we need.
While the $4,900 was an unexpected expense that pushed us beyond our anticipated budget, I genuinely hope you understand that this was an essential purchase. I pray you agree with my decision and will send a gift today.
The Brothers and I want to express our deep appreciation for your generosity and kindness. So, before mailing your gift, remember to write your prayer intentions on the enclosed donation response slip. The Brothers and I will include your intentions in all our prayers, for you and your loved ones.
In closing, I hope that you are enjoying the end of a beautiful summer. Find a few moments to take in the season’s last hurrah. This is God’s gift to all of us.
God bless you for caring,
Br. Hugh P. Turley, F.M.S.
Director of Development
