Rolling, Rolling, Rolling…
The story goes that one day while grocery shopping, Sister Mary Genevieve Ryskiewicz noticed the manager of a market throwing out some day-old bread. She asked him why he was doing this, and he replied that the food was out dated and so unsellable.
Sr. Genevieve asked for the bread and any other day-old food that was going to be disposed of and well the rest is history… It is hard to imagine that all this took place over 20 years ago and many things have changed since then. Sr. Genevieve is not shopping any longer but still serves the hungry by bagging beans for the Pantry clients and now instead of a car, a fleet of trucks go out daily from the Pantry to rescue food.
Today is an auspicious day for St. Felix Pantry in the gathering of several very important people framing the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Pantry’s very first refrigerated truck. Also, it is the first Pantry truck that is completely wrapped with details and pictures about the Pantry including the smiling faces of Sr. Paula Mary Palasz and Sr. Agnes Marie Lewandowski. Jokingly, we tell our friends of Felix that the Sisters are hitting the road singing along, rolling, rolling rolling…
Rev. Dr. Jack Bunting, President of the Pantry, welcomed our guests and with purpose pointed out our two very special friends of Felix who made the purchase of this new truck possible including the Albuquerque Masons, lodge # 60 and Kathi Cowham. Dr. Bunting also thanked Raul Rodriguez, Owner of Kings of Wrap who practically did the wrap project at no cost! Sr. Dorothy Young, the local Minister for the Felician Sisters in Rio Rancho made a wonderful connection between the convent and St. Felix Pantry. Also in attendance to congratulate St. Felix Pantry was Mayor Greg Hull for the City of Rio Rancho, Debbie Moore, President of the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce and Fr. John Carney, Pastor of The Church of the Incarnation who blessed our new truck.
From my perspective, one of the most memorable events surrounding the ribbon cutting happened the day before the event when the Sisters at the convent were given the opportunity to preview the new truck. Present in that picture was none other than our very own Sister Mary Genevieve Ryskiewicz, Foundress of St. Felix Pantry, seated second from the right.
