“I wish I could see the ocean one more time.”
A simple statement made by Sister Betty Hart to Sister Betty Adams. But that simple statement spurred Sister Betty Adams to make that wish come true. The mission became to get Sister Betty Hart and a few of her friends to the ocean for a few days.
After discussion with a member of Leadership and a call to find a second driver, should one be needed, the wheels were set in motion. It turned out to be the wheels of a Chevy Tahoe that would seat seven and allow for a small bag for each Sister and snacks for the journey. I was tagged to drive that second vehicle, if needed, but ended up in the back seat of the monster 7-passenger SUV driven by Sister Betty Adams.
Sister Betty Adams searched the website VRBO, a vacation rental online marketplace, and found a perfect location for the Sisters – a beachfront townhouse in Brigantine, N.J. with easy access onto the beach. Each Sister contributed her annual vacation allowance to make the trip. And off we went together in the one vehicle for the eight-hour journey (with rest stops) to the beach.
The location was more than any of us could have imagined. The townhouse was fronted by dunes and, beyond that, the ocean. Sister Betty Hart certainly got her wish and, in doing so, blessed a few of her friends – Sisters Jean Stoltz, Dolores Partsch, Margaret Ann Parrish, and Rosella Lacovitch, who went along. Sister Betty Adams and I were equally blessed to accompany them for the trip.
The Sisters had this to say:
Sister Margaret Ann Parrish: It’s the first time we’ve done this for Sisters who haven’t had the opportunity for a vacation for a while. It was a wonderful opportunity – delightful, and just enough time away.”
And Sister Betty Hart, who voiced this wish in the first place: “The ocean is a little bit of heaven. I’m so grateful to the Sisters who made this happen.”
What I was reminded of was how much it is a luxury for me, with no health limitations and the ability to drive, to take myself where I want to go and to plan vacation trips with friends. It’s my hope that this short beach vacation (Sunday to Wednesday) is just the beginning of more travels for the Sisters who can no longer plan and execute that for themselves – whether it’s a beach trip, a shorter drive up to Lake Erie, or a long weekend in the mountains.
-Sister Linda Rettstatt
