From the heart of the director, Tracey Jagla...
Each spring my heart swells with pride as everythingis flourishing around our home. Our neighbor's lilac bushesand flowers embrace the back of our home; the crek is running full and loud; the trees are green, so full and vibrant this year. Everything around Journey Home is beautiful and everything inside Journey Home is beautiful too.
We are celebrating nine years of blooming here in the northwestern end of Monroe County! 255 persons have shared their lives with us from the pain to the joys life has to offer. Their family's have built our home's tapestry with their stories and have allowed their loved ones to be wrapped in the threads of that tapestry.
I pause from the paper work and frenzy of an admission to walk along the back of the house. The memorial walkway invites me to remember - so many souls, so many dreams, and so many farewells. Ahh, there's mom's brick, Jeanie Premo, the one who inspired this dream, the creation of Journey Home. As I walk down along the creek my heart continues to swell, as do my eyes! Laughter is here too! We laugh as well as cry while we love dear ones on their journey.
Each life is so precious, so sacred, women threads adorning the tapestry as we are blessed by many in our gentle home, here on Long Pond Road in Greece.
Peace,
Tracey
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Volunteers "Reaching Out" Beyong Journey Home
by
Sandi
Moneta,
Our
House
Nurse
My husband Lou, and I began a very special journey of our own this past January. We asre helping the Myslivecek family, of the town of North Chili, to renovate and expand their existing home. This family has experienced some dark times in the past 4 years.
Dean and Tammie Myslivecek were once an average family, watching their children grow, enjoying life. They had dreamsto one day renovate their existing homein hopes of one day selling itand purchasing a larger home with a big yard! Thesed dreams and life as they knew it came to aqn abrupt halt!
In May of 2004, their eldest son, Daniel,was diagnosed with cancer. Daniel, with his family by his side, fought a tough battle ... and his mom tells me, "he never complained throughout the whole ordeal." Daniel lost his battle in July of 2006. The Myslivecek family tried to pick up the shattered pieces to continue on, when less than 6 months after Daniel's death, their 11 year old daughter, Abigal, was diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia. Abigal, has also been fighting this difficult illness with treatments. Abigal is doing much better and is on the road to beating this awful illness! (Dean and Tammie also have two other beautiful children; Alyssa, 16 and David, 10.)
Soon after Abigal's diagnosis, I approached Dean and Tammie to ask them if I could nominate them for the Extreme Home Makeover Show. Mounting medical bills and emotional exhaustion ended their dreams of moving or even renovating their existing home. A completed package was sent in May of 2007. We have not heard from them and most likely will not. With the help of a very gracious and loving community, we decided to do our own "mini" version of Extreme Home Makeover!
It is a daunting but rewarding task! With the love and support I've recieved from the west side towns of GatesChili and Churchville, along with the cherished volunteers of Journey Home, our first fundraiser for this project (which is called Extreme Hope Project) was a success! Once the volunteers heard about our efforts they didn't hesitate to ask me "how could we help?"! The staff and volunteers are blessed to have each other; we have seen each other through many things beyond the "inside works" of Journey Home! I am truly grateful for all their support! With this continued support, the "dream" of the Extreme Hope Project WILL become a reality! The residents who come to Journey Home are not the only ones being cared for by these "Earthly Angels"!
If you are interested in more information about the Extreme Hope Project please email me at journeyhome@rochester.rr.com Attn: Sandi Moneta or call 585-247-7877
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No great things, only small things with great love"
Mother Teresa
