Sweat and Tears

By Vicki Judice, Executive Director of the Harry Tompson Center

That’s what it took 10 years ago when The Rebuild Center was built –  Sweat and Tears.  It didn’t come easy.  No one handed us the $1.1 million dollars it took to construct this Center.  We had to ask for it. We had to write grants for it.  We had to raise the money.  We had to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Those of you who knew Fr. Harry Tompson knew that he was a man who didn’t waste words and he didn’t waste time.  He saw a need when he was the pastor of Immaculate Conception Church.  He saw people who didn’t have a place to go during the day to meet their needs.  So he said, ok let’s get to work.  Let’s set up shop next to the church and meet the needs of the people.  It’s the right thing to do.

Then after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina and the levee failures, we had to roll up our sleeves again and get to work.  Because we knew it was WORTH it.  All the people who were depending on us were WORTH it.