Honored: Dr. Lennis Echterling, a member of Blessed Sacrament, Harrisonburg, has been awarded the Magis Medal by Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society of Jesuit universities. According to the society, “The Magis Medal is awarded annually to members who best exemplify scholarship, loyalty, and service in their work to better the world.”
Among the ways he has done that is as an intervener, consultant and trainer following many traumatic events, including tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, the tsunami in India, the 9/11 attacks at the Pentagon, the shootings at Virginia Tech and landmine explosions in the Middle East.
Good people doing good things: While the stockings were hung by the chimney with care during the Christmas season, the staffs and residents of St Mary’s Woods Retirement Center and Our Lady of Hope Health Center collected 736 pairs of socks that Commonwealth Catholic Charities distributed to seniors they serve.