wfn.org | United Methodist river-boat journey

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3044 notes).

Note 3041 by UMNS on July 1, 1996 at 16:00 Eastern (3417 characters).

SEARCH: Gulick, United Methodists, river-boat, retirement, village

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CONTACT: Linda Green                   327(11-14-18-21SC-71){3041}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470              July 1, 1996

United Methodist man to launch boat for 
16 day trip to benefit retirement home

                 by United Methodist News Service

     A United Methodist from Texas has chosen an unusual way to go
to a church conference in Missouri and, at the same time, help a
retirement community.
     Tom Gulick, 64, a United Methodist from Pottsboro, Texas, and
a delegate to the denomination's South Central Jurisdictional
Conference, will launch his 26-foot boat into the Arkansas River
at Russellville, Ark., and run the 2,976 miles to Kansas City,
Mo., site of the conference. 
     Dubbed the "River Run Express," Gulick hopes to raise $50,000
for the endowment fund of the Wesley Retirement Village. The
retirement residence is a growing eight-year old ministry in the
United Methodist North Texas Annual Conference.   
     Gulick is enlisting per-mile pledges for this endeavor to
assist the home in its mission of providing quality living for
seniors regardless of their financial resources.
     "It doesn't matter whether a family is low income, middle
income or upper income, the aging process affects us all," Gulick
said. "We need to know that our aging family members receive care
and services within a secure environment where their quality of
life remains good." 
     Gulick, also a retired confectionery broker, is one of 12 lay
delegates from the North Texas Annual Conference to the July 14-19
jurisdictional conference. 
     Accompanied by son-in-law, John LaPlant, Gulick will captain
his vessel through towns along the river in Arkansas, Tennessee,
Kentucky and Missouri arriving for the opening session. He
estimates the trip will take 16 days.   
     Consisting of 332 elected delegates -- clergy and lay in
equal numbers -- the South Central Jurisdiction covers the eight
states of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New
Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. 
     The primary purpose of the five simultaneous U.S.
jurisdictional conferences is to conduct the business of the
jurisdiction, elect bishops and appoint them to their assignments
for the next four years. There will be one episcopal vacancy to
fill at this jurisdiction's meeting.
     Gulick, also a member of the Wesley Village Board of
Directors, said he got the idea for the "River Run Express"
because he wanted to spark interest in the retirement community's
benevolent program while doing something he loves.
      He said debris in the river from recent floods is a
potential hazard. In a couple of locations refueling will require
hand-carrying 90 gallons of gasoline in five-gallon containers
from a truck or near-by gas station to the boat.  
     According to Joan Womack, Wesley Village administrator, the
goal of the retirement community "is never to lose a resident
because of financial depletion."  The endowment fund will help
achieve that goal. 
                              #  #  #

     

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