She Gives Credit to God, Family and Sense of Purpose For Her Years of Volunteering!

Branch 892 of New Philadelphia, Ohio can once again call one of their own the LCBA Fraternalist of the Year. Mary Frances Ann Aldridge Fantin, known to her friends as Fran, has been named the 2005 recipient. Sixty-one years ago Fran and her sister became LCBA Benefit members as they were enrolled by their mother, a long standing social member.

Fran came to the New Philadelphia area as a grade school student and went on to receive a degree in nursing which she used in several venues – hospital nursing, public health nursing, and school nursing from which Fran is retired.

Fran is married to Frank Fantin, the man she came to know during her frequent visits back to her home town. They were married in 1962 at Sacred Heart Church, the church focus of Branch 892. They have one son Matt. It was while Matt was attending grade school that Fran first became a volunteer at the school library where she continues to volunteer twenty-five hours each week. She says she has loved being the librarian – and they must love having her too as the library is known as the Fran Fantin Memorial Library.

One of her many efforts for Branch 892 is doing the research and purchasing work for a branch project that donates books to the school library each year in the name of their deceased members. Fran says of her branch that it exhibits the true spirit of Christianity in giving so generously to parish and community organizations.

She also finds time to volunteer in the parish – working on the decorating committee, planning and participating in many Lent and Easter events, Bible studies, the Liturgy committee, dinners, the Prayer Line and the Social Concerns committee. She and Frank are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and Fran is the Vicariate President of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Somehow she still has some left over time to give to the community – as a member of the Board of Health and Advisory Committee to the Home Health Program. She also sits on the Cancer Society Board and works with Share-a-Christmas.

Fran tells us, "My thanks to God for giving me the health, the energy, the interest, the feeling that maybe with His help I could contribute. Besides God’s help ….I have an understanding spouse and an interested son. Volunteering gives me a feeling of belonging, an increase in knowledge, an expansion of ideas and friendships, a sense of purpose and satisfaction, and while there are probably many more, I must add enjoyment."

When learning that Fran volunteered over 700 hours last year, National President and CEO Jacqueline Sobania-Robison said, "Before our mission statement was ever created Fran was living it – Protecting and Caring for the Church, Family and Future. New Philadelphia would not be the same without her. LCBA is fortunate to have her as a shining example of fraternalism. Thank you Fran."