- June 18, 2025 Association, Sister Stories, Community
By Associate Lori Fick
On April 6, Sisters Mary Louise Basler, Mary Ann Figlino and Roseanne Siebert and Associate Lori Fick traveled to Okolona, Mississippi, to spend four days working and having fun. We met with Sister Liz Brown and others, including the Presentation and Franciscan sisters and the staff of Excel, Inc., a community service organization.
The next morning, S. Liz gave us our assignments. Jobs included washing windows, weeding several gardens — most significantly a patio serving senior citizens at Excel — cleaning, scrubbing floors, sanding and painting a deck and decorating a peace pole and metal butterflies. We also worked with children in the After School Learning Program. Since this was my first trip to Okolona, S. Liz explained the variety of programs offered by Excel and showed me the facilities. S. Nancy Schreck, OSF took me on a tour of the town.
S. Liz came to Okolona in 1985 as a pastoral minister to explore the possibility of gathering the small Catholic community and to explore ways of responding to the needs of people living in the community. In 1988, along with local citizens, Excel was formed to respond to these needs. The goal of the organization then and now is to further education, promote community building, encourage community service and foster healthy lives. These services are supported by many local and out of town volunteers, including groups of CSJ sisters and associates, who have come to Okolona over the years.
Our small, four-person community started off each morning with prayer and breakfast. We would take a lunch break at another Excel ministry, Mugs on Main. We worked hard and laughed a lot.
Srs. Liz and Nancy invited us for dinner one evening. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and afterwards, had a fun time together. Another evening, we invited them to dinner and the fun continued.
Seeing the various forms of ministry Excel offers to the Okolona community and meeting the staff helps me appreciate the dedication that goes into this ministry to the residents of Okolona. I appreciated the opportunity to work alongside Srs. Mary Louise, Roseanne and Mary Ann, and I look forward to my next trip to Okolona. It would be great if we could schedule a mission trip to Okolona every spring and fall.
For information about participating in our next mission trip to Okolona from September 21-27, or a future mission trip, contact Associate Lori Fick at [email protected].