Around the Neighborhoods - Summer, 2012
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- Published on Tuesday, 10 July 2012 16:05
This edition of Around the Neighborhoods features a submission from town center resident Winfried Krepf on the journey of archeological discovery he and his wife, Marilyn, and son, Max, took this summer.
Other Ave Maria families on the move included Nick and Jane Healy, who attended the 20th anniversary of the Language and Catechetical Institute in Gaming, Austria, which currently is headed by their daughter, Jenny. Cardinal Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, attended. Click here to jump directly to Around Del Webb.
Digging for the Magnificent, Divine Past
By Winfried Krepf
How does finding and touching of 1st century glass, coins or pottery sound to you? What’s about digging in the ground where Mary Magdalene lived and where Jesus may have come to pray? Or, what’s about visiting Capernaum, Mt. Carmel, the Mount of the Beatitudes?
Everything becomes alive when you are interested in or join as a volunteer or sponsor of the Magdala Project which is located just north of Tiberias at the Sea of Galilee in Northern Israel.
That is exactly what Max Krepf and his parents did when they visited and participated in the Magdala Project (right). The Magdala Center, a future spiritual retreat and visitor center from the Pontifical Institute of Notre Dame, in Jerusalem, was visited in May 2009 by Pope Benedict when he blessed the corner stone.
The Krepf family, who live in La Piazza and whose son, Max, will be a senior at the Donahue Academy next semester, had t
he chance to make history come alive by digging and touching and imagining at least 2,000-year-old history and Bible events.
“It’s like going back in time, it’s absolutely cool. It was hard work and I felt my muscles at the end of every day”, said Max (at left, hard at work) ,”but it was time well spent. We were about 25 volunteers, 24 of them came from the Universidad Anahuac Mexico Sur. Integration was a small issue, because of the language and age, but all of them were very friendly ”.
“From The Holy Land onwards, we will go back to our private life” said parents Winfried and Marylin Krepf. “It’s a blessing for us to combine work and vacation in this part of the world”.
“Groups of students of any age are always welcomes to join the Magdala project and I encourage them to spend this valuable and meaningful time with us where Jesus walked and lived” said Marcella Zapata, the Archaeological Director of this project. The Magdala Center had its biggest surprise, when in Sept. 2009, a 1st-century synagogue was discovered with the oldest Menorah found sculptured into the “Magdala stone”.
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Around Del Webb
By June McCann
Goodbye Party…Neighbors-- wanting one last chance to get together before the snow birds flew North, South, East and West-- enjoyed a barbecue at the Del Webb Sales Center on a beautiful late Spring day. With hot dogs and hamburgers supplied by Del Webb lifestyle director, Tina Raymond, and side dishes and desserts provided by party goers, the occasion was a casual and delicious send-off to those travelling during the summer months. Shown below left is Ray Justus surrounded by lovely ladies: wife Dee , Diana Malcolm and Ginny Davis; and friends Nancy Freeman, Darwin and Kathy Baack, Robert Klucik, Sr., and wife Sally (back to camera).
The 
Healys in Austria…Proud and grateful parents, Nick and Jane Healy, visited daughter Jenny in Gaming, Austria, to celebrate the 20th year of The Language and Catechetical Institute. Jenny directs the program which is located in a beautiful, restored Carthusian Monastery. Two Ave Maria University graduates have recently joined her in the mission to teach English and catechetics to young people from the former Communist bloc countries of Eastern and Central Europe, as well as from China. The Healys report that the anniversary celebration also included a very inspiring conference on the new evangelization. These stunning photos show delighted Dad, Nick, and Jenny watching Cardinal Schönborn signing the chronicles of Kartaus Maria Thron to mark the occasion, and a view of one of the courtyards of Kartaus Maria Thron in Gaming.
One More Trophy… Dee Justus writes that she and her golfing partner, Rosie Turner, won first place in the first flight of a two-day Member-Member event. Dee and Ray are in the midst of furnishing and organizing their new condo in Connecticut and Dee says, “Golf is therapy at this point!”
Golden Anniversary…On May 26 at St. Malachy’s Church in Warren , MI, Del Webb residents Bobby and Rosie Oshinsky celebrated 50 years of 
marriage. A surprise reception was given by their children Michael, Marty and Tracy and their granddaughter, Krystal. Their Del Webb friends shown here traveled from Florida and other parts of the Mid West to join the festivities. From left: Dick Weber, Ken Kleinrichert, Rosie, Don Imbus and Scott Stinnet. For more on the story and for other pictures, see the “Passages” section of this Ave Herald issue.
Back in southwest Florida, Bobby also was delighted to attend a book-signing for Senator Marco Rubio's biography, where the picture below right was taken.
In further pursuit of stardom, Omar Lopez-Cepero , son of Ana and Tano Lopez-Cepero of Del Webb, is starring in a new show that is part of the 2012 New York Musical Theatre Festival running from July 9-29 on Broadway. Omar plays Will, one of the two male leads who pursue Fiona as well as an elixir that will grant them eternal life! Set in 1675, the play titled FOREVERMAN is a tumultuous journey of rivalries and betrayals down through the ages. Proud parents Ana and Tano will travel to New York to see the show on June 24. If you happen to be in NYC then…..stop by to see Omar!
Grand Kids Galore!! A very proud Grandma shares with the Ave Herald's readers this beautiful story of family and fun:
Ame and Carlos (Nana and Papa) Figueroa happily hosted 14 grand kids and four of their children plus spouses for a great summer family reunion at Ave Maria. The days slipped by with jaunts to the beach, Ave Maria Water Park, Naples Zoo and basketball-filled afternoons between cousins, uncles, dads and Papa. The girls/women enjoyed a shopping spree at Coconut Point and the boys/men visited the Rick Treworgy Muscle Car City Museum in Punta Gorda. The adults would team up at night for some serious "Puerto Rican Domino Tournaments." Birthdays were celebrated and games played with a lot of noise and camaraderie. Unfortunately, 13 year-old Andrew was stung by a jellyfish at the beach but was courageous through the whole ordeal! Nana made her famous "empanadas de carne" (60 of them) for one of the many "dinner spreads." Cooking, baking, chatting, laughing, bonding with baby Sophie and running after toddlers Thomas and JuJu was fun. No one got sick—imagine that! The Good Lord poured down His blessings on all! Thank God for family!
Keeping busy…Those the snow birds have left behind at Del Webb are keeping up their spirits with movie nights, happy hours, Margarita Mondays, pot luck dinners, Walking Wednesdays, ice cream socials and special off-campus travels and events. No rest for the survivors!