Kay Church

Highlights | Transcript | Photos

Growing up in a home with 11 family members, Kay Church understood sacrifice. At a young age, she also learned to give to others without hesitation. Today, she lives to lift up people in need. Kay shares her story growing up in the small hamlet of Sprague’s Corners (now known as Spragueville), just outside of Gouverneur. She has experienced challenging times and traumatic loss, but her inspiration has been philanthropy. From volunteering at Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley, to establishing a traveling Clown Ministry in St. Lawrence County, Kay describes how giving back to others has been the greatest gift she has ever received.

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Kay Church

“We all have journeys to go on, and in giving, you receive. I think most everybody at one time or another in their life, whether it is financially, health wise, in some way will have a need in their lifetime … and if my children, my grandchildren can share with others and make that difference by just a listening ear, in some small way … then they’re making a difference to mankind.”
– Kay Church

Highlights

4:50

Sharing values of giving with family
8:00

A timely blessing
12:32

Music is a difference-maker
21:25

The joy of being a full-time volunteer

Transcripts

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Photos

: A picture of Kay’s family – the Whittakers – when she was younger. She is seated front row on the far left.

: Kay (lower left) and her family take a recent photo.

: Kay with her husband, Bob Church. They married in 1990 and moved from Canton to Spragueville to care for Kay’s mother in her childhood home.

: Kay with her husband, Bob, at a Clown Ministry event. Bob passed away in 2016 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

: Kay’s family attends an Alzheimer’s Association fundraising event in September 2017 in Canton. From left to right: Andrew Zimmer, Kay Church, Maddie Zimmer, Greg Zimmer (front), David Church, Rick Pickert, Laurie Pickert, Gail Sexton, Dennis Sexton, David Geer, Tori Carlisle, Jessie, Carlisle

: The 2018 Alzheimer’s Assocation walk in Canton. Right to left: David Geer, Emily Geer, Andrew Zimmer, Kay Church, Greg Zimmer, Jessica Carlisle, Nora Geer, Tom Van Norton, Charlie Cole, Helen Cole, David Church, Maddie Zimmer.

: Carol Sibley and Kay Church collect eyeglasses for a “Sight Night” event led by the Gouverneur Lions Club. Carol and Kay did their part dressed as their characters from the Clown Ministry.

: Kay and her friend, Carol Sibley (far right), created a Clown Ministry to bring joy to residents across St. Lawrence County. Kay and Carol join Kay’s sister, Linda Merritt, here at a nursing home in Gouverneur in December 2010.

: Kay spends time with her niece, Carolyn Epperley, during a Clown Ministry visit.

: The Clown Ministry makes a visit to Maplewood Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Canton. From left to right: Pastor Bob, Linda Merritt, Carol Sibley, Kay Church, Connie Kramer.

: Kay meets with members of the Youth Philanthropy Council of the Northern New York Community Foundation in January 2018. Kay shared her experiences as a volunteer at Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley for close to 20 years, as well as the success of a pilot “Music and Memory Program” funded by the council to benefit Hospice patients.