Hello Dominican Family, 

We hope you enjoyed a relaxing Labor Day weekend. As you prepare for the week ahead, we wanted to share some information about what’s coming up for our every active Dominican Family this fall. You will also note a new segment you will see in coming Flocknotes – “Getting to know you!” It will feature new insights about someone you thought you knew or perhaps haven’t yet met. At the end of the note, please enjoy reading more about our featured DF member this month – Denise Stasio.  

Upcoming Meetings and Events

Opening Gathering
Monday, September 12/6:00 p.m. Social Time – 6:30 p.m. Program Begins
We will have our traditional potluck supper and have a speaker, Nancy Sterling from Chapelwood Methodist Church, who will guide us through Centering Prayer.

Commitment Mass
Sunday, October 2/2:00 p.m. 
This daytime Mass will take the place of our usually scheduled evening gathering in October. It is a chance for anyone who has yet to make their re-commitment to Dominican Family.

Octoberfest Social
Thursday, October 6 
Join us at Walking Stick Brewery in the Heights for some fun and brews. Check out their website Walking Stick Brewing Company

The Poverty Committee Bicycle Drive 
The Nativity Academy needs 4 additional new - 20-inch bicycles and 4 medium bike helmets (2 of each for boys and 2 of each for girls) – for their PE classes. The Poverty Committee is coordinating the drive and has already secured 2 bicycles. If you would donate a bike or a helmet or wish to pitch towards the purchase of a bike or helmet, please contact Shawn Callaghan at shawna.callaghan@att.n... . Thank you in advance for your generous support! 

Donation Request
Over the last two years, we have not needed to make a public ask for support of the Dominican Family. We are grateful for those members who have made contributions during this time to support expenses for our DF website hosting, Flocknote services, Commitment Mass, and hospitality. Gratefully, we can once again resume more engagement opportunities that sometimes have additional expenses such as speaker fees. At our Opening Gathering, we will have envelopes on the tables for you to make a volunteer gift in support of our activities. At this time, we are able to take cash and check donations only (no electronic payments.)  

You can also support the DF by purchasing Dominican Family stickers for $5.00/each - see the logo above for an example. These 3” circular vinyl stickers are great for putting on your water bottles, notebooks, car window, bumper, or wherever you want to have a reminder that you are a Dominican. Please bring cash so you can have a sticker or two of your very own.

Dominican Family T-Shirts
Haven’t ordered your T-shirt yet? There’s still time! Just click on the link below and be ready for your next workday, protest, or just for hanging around a day where a Dominican connection with the community is your goal. There are two versions of the t-shirts: 1) black t-shirts with a white logo, and 2) white t-shirts with a black logo. All t-shirts will be produced after the order closing date of September 16. and distributed at the following gathering. Leslie Pruski will be available at the September 12 meeting to submit a t-shirt order if you need assistance with navigating the order link. 

But wait, would you like something a little more formal to let people know you’re a member of the family? Mary Gagelhoff has links and instructions for individuals to order on their own a Land’s End polo shirt with a collar sporting the Dominican Family logo. Please contact Mary for more information at:  marygangelhoff@gmail.c...

Hospitality Committee
We need YOUR HELP! The first Dominican Family Gathering in September will be a potluck dinner, so look forward to a fun evening of cuisine! For the event to be a success, the hospitality committee needs your help! Please click on the link below to sign up to bring a food item, and help with the setup and/or cleanup.  
DF - September 12 - Meeting Potluck Sign-Up

Volunteers are also needed to bring snacks to the Formation Gatherings. These meetings are held the Monday following our gatherings. By volunteering, you will have a chance to connect to people in formation. Please consider signing up as an individual or as a group of 2 to 3. Please note, that the total number of attendants will not be available until September. Click on this link to sign up:
DF Hospitality for Formation Gatherings - Sign Up Here!

Just in case, here are the two website addresses if the links do not work:

• signupgenius.com/go/70...
• signupgenius.com/go/70...

Questions? Contact Lauren Wasielewski at laurenwasi@hotmail.com

In summary, we have many fun things coming up and opportunities to show your Dominican pride on t-shirts and stickers. Don’t forget to reach out to committee chairs for info on what they are doing—they’d love to hear from you even if you aren’t able to join the meetings. See all the committees and contact info at our DF website.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone in September and throughout the fall semester.

Many Blessings to All,

Mary Gangelhoff marygangelhoff@gmail.com
Greg Schockling schocker111@gmail.com
Maria Burdick mariaburdick@yahoo.com
Carol Mayes cmayes@domhou.org

THANK YOU Dominican Family from the 4th Graders at the Nativity Academy, for the new bicycles!  

Getting to know...DENISE STASIO!

How long have you lived in Houston?
Since August 1973, when Vinny and I got married. (We will celebrate 50 years together next year!)

Tell us a little about your family (of origin, or your nuclear, or whatever you consider your family!)
I am the oldest of five children born to Tom & Loretta Gary in Beaumont where we were taught by many Dominican sisters at St. Anthony’s Grade School and Monsignor Kelly High School. My dad was an only child, and my mom was one of thirteen children - seven boys and six girls. My mom’s five sisters are Houston Dominican sisters and one of the boys became a priest. Today, Vinny and I are proud parents of our sons (Peter, Dennis, and Nick) and our grandchildren (Danielle, Emily, Morgan, Luke, and Jackson).

What don't we know about you that might surprise us?
I was among the first graduating women from Texas A&M University. At that time, there were no girls’ dorms for the 300 women in the 14,000-student body. I was the only girl in most of my classes.

What is the one place people will never find you? 
At the Rodeo.

What job, volunteer or paid, have you held that taught you or changed you the most? 
As a teacher at St. Agnes for 33 years, I came to understand by hearing from students that my excitement in problem-solving and my belief in each student’s ability to succeed helped them develop confidence both in math and beyond my classroom. No doubt, I was also changed by working with wonderful St. Agnes faculty and staff members who taught me the value of working together as a team.

Is there a book, movie, talk, or event that changed the way you see the world? 
“This Is How It Always Is” by Laurie Frankel

Best advice you ever received. 
Walk with the Bible in one hand and the current news in the other.

What is your Pet Peeve? 
When people don’t read (me included)

Quirkiest trait. 
I always wear pants – no dresses.

Mantra or motto.
We are all in this together.

Where do you take people when they come to visit you?
Karbach Brewery for lunch since our son is a brewer there.

Why did you join the Dominican Family?
I have been surrounded by Dominicans all my life. When told about this group forming, I was intrigued with the idea of carrying on the work and ideals of the Dominican sisters. Since that time, I have learned so much about living life through the lens of St. Dominic’s vision.

Integral Ecology Corner

Glass does not decompose easily and is categorized as one of the human-made longest-lasting materials. Glasses are everywhere, and we use them in our everyday lives just like plastics. However, a glass bottle may take up to 1 million years to decompose in the environment. This means that glass manufactured and used 5000 years ago may still be present in the environment.

Plastic does not decompose easily either. Styrofoam and plastic bags take up to one thousand years to decompose. When they are thrown into the water, they contribute to the deaths of thousands of marine animals, let alone plastic pollution and contaminating the water and soil.