Denver Catholic

EVERYDAY CATHOLIC I 5 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I OCTOBER 22, 2014 Your support of both St. John Vianney eological Seminary and Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary will help these men answer their calling and prepare to be spiritual fathers for you, your children and your grandchildren. Please remember to give generously when asked to support the thriving seminaries at the Archdiocese Donate at: sjvdenver.edu/support/parishappeal T H E O L O G I C A L S E M I N A R Y REDEMPTORIS MATER Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary DENVER, CO, USA ST. JOHN VIANNEY NOVEMBER 1-2, 2014 "FUNNIER! BETTER!" The sequel is even better than the first! FINAL WEEKS! Playing through Nov. 8 TICKETS: (303) 449-6000 www.bouldersdinnertheatre.com Learn how an education at Saint Louis Catholic School can make a difference for your children at any of these events: Open House: Thursday, November 6, 9:00-11:00 AM Open House: Sunday, November 9, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM Parent University: Tuesday, November 18, 7:00-8:00 PM "No Regrets Parenting" presented by Dr. Harley Rotbart of Children's Hospital. Current and prospective families are invited to attend. Saint Louis Catholic School 3301 South Sherman Street, Englewood 80113 Located near Broadway & Hampden 303-762-8307 www.stlouiscatholicschool.org Saint Louis Catholic School An investment in the future of our children & our faith. BY GINA WARNER Bolstered by the words of Pope Francis to fi ght a "throwaway culture," a Denver Catholic moved to Haiti—a country still recovering from a devastating earthquake nearly fi ve years ago—to start a company that upcycles trash into durable products for every- day use, such as bags, aprons and pencil cases. PeaceCycle, the brain child of Amber Heimann, a graduate of Purdue University, started in late 2013 to provide dignifi ed employment for local Haitians by creating a culture of empow- erment and creativity. "The Haitians have a lot of idle time in their life because there is little opportu- nity, so they lack hope," Heimann told the Denver Catholic Register during a re- cent visit to Denver. "PeaceCycle provides them with a sense of being needed. It's what dignity is all about." In the aftermath of a Jan. 12, 2010, 7.0 magnitude earthquake, estimated to have killed more than 230, 000 people and dis- placed 1.5 million, pollution is a devastat- ing issue. "One major source of this is the 4 mil- lion water bags that are sold and disposed of every single day," according to Hei- mann. "These water bags enable locals to consume clean and safe water … but they cause an unsightly living space, and are later burned in piles, adding to the horri- ble air quality." The labor that goes into the PeaceCy- cle process is arduous, as the trash must be collected, cut, washed, dried, sorted, ironed, cut and sewn. All work is done with no electricity. "Most locals have never held scissors," she said, "and this alone is a long educa- tion process." Yolene, a mother of three liv- ing in a one-room house, is a PeaceCyle employee. "When (Yolene) fi rst started I briefl y explained the fi rst part of the process to her, but then she took the initiative to do the remaining steps without knowing how. She did them wrong, but I almost cried be- cause I saw her initiative!" said Heimann. "I offered her the tools to do the rest of the process the right way, and she was excited. She is still working for PeaceCycle today." The purchase of each item directly supports nine Haitians with employ- ment, and indirectly supports the local economy with subsequent expenditure from their employment. But Heimann's greatest joy isn't in the fi nancial benefi t. It's in seeing the Haitians grow in under- standing their dignity. "The Lord wipes away all that dirt," she explained as a metaphor for spiritual life, "and makes something beautiful out of yourself." PeaceCycle will have a booth at the Col- orado Country Christmas Gift Show Nov. 7-9 at the Denver Mart at 451 E. 58th Ave. For more information, visit www.colorado christmasgiftshow.com. For more about PeaceCycle, visit www.peacecycle.com or like them on Facebook. Rebuilding dignity in Haiti AMBER HEIMANN

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