Thursday, June 13, 2013
I offer my deepest condolences to those closest to Stan. As the Director of the Cornerstone Shelter, a 15-bed homeless shelter in Rockville, CT, it is important for his family and friends to hear about a side of him that we came to know and love. Stan was an incredible person. You probably already knew that though. At our shelter where he volunteered whenever possible, he was always extremely useful in doing the mundane tasks of “helping” wherever necessary. That is always appreciated in a volunteer who is offering to serve others. But there was something special about Stan that made his visits here so significant. The first time I met him, he said he was more than glad to help us however needed, but what he most looked forward to the most was when he had an opportunity to really talk with the individuals that we serve. He knew the value of helping others through service, but he knew in his heart what our Lord really wants us to do with our God-given abilities, is to truly care about the individuals placed in front of us. Daily, many of us tend to pass by those less fortunate than ourselves. We sometimes look the other way so we don’t feel guilty. Shame on us…. Some people actually make the effort to stop to help others that they meet. Stan, did quite a bit more than that. He would go out of his way to seek those who were beaten down by life’s burdens. Just about any one of us could provide a meal, or donate some old worn-out clothing or some loose change. But, how many of us go out of our way to “seek and serve the lost” in our society -- to truly make a purposeful effort to connect with others on a personal and caring level. He always made time to try to reach people patiently, “where they were” and he always did it with respect. He let them know they were valuable, no matter what stress they were dealing with. Most importantly, he cared, he loved, he WILL be missed……. Rest in peace Stan…….
