The St. Dominic community rallied around a cause very near and dear to my heart during our first ever Mission Week. All proceeds from Mission Week went to my family’s fund “The Count It All Joy Project,” which helps to build houses in Haiti.

The country of Haiti has always been very special to my family and me. My aunt Marie Freise has been traveling to Haiti for the past 25 years to serve the poorest of the poor. She has made many friends in Haiti that have become her extended family. During my two mission trips to Haiti, I had the privilege of meeting and working with her friends. Seeing that they lived in tent cities and small tin shacks inspired me to go beyond my service in Haiti.

“The Count It All Joy Project” began as a way to honor my grandfather who was a builder. Knowing the great need for safe housing after the Haitian earthquake, it was decided that we should create a fund to raise money to build the homes for my aunt’s friends who were living in deplorable conditions. At present, the money raised by “The Count It All Joy Project” has provided homes for four families.

I was very moved when junior Kaylee Imming informed me that the proceeds for Mission Week would go toward “The Count It All Joy Project.” Altogether, the community of St. Dominic raised $2,141.56 through the sales of T-shirts and penny wars.

“I think and hope that the St. Dominic community left a great impact on Haiti. Hopefully with the money raised, we were able to help build houses in Haiti to provide shelter to those who really need it. And with that I am also hoping that people in Haiti who were impacted by us, now have a new sense of hope and can feel the love we are sending to them, even though we are so far away,” said Imming.

With a huge success from Mission Week, the project is headed in the right direction toward building another house for someone in need. Many thanks for your continued support of “The Count It All Joy Project.” Your small donations are leaving a huge impact on the lives of our Haitian friends.