Our Mission & Works
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store and Social Services is both a retail thrift store and a ministry. Officially, we are an association of employees and volunteers dedicated to serving needy people in three counties in Southeast Idaho in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul. We welcome all people with dignity and respect and try to provide them with a sense of hope.
St. Vincent de Paul offers assistance for those who cannot afford their most basic needs.
Mission and History
Patron
Now a recognized saint both in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, St. Vincent de Paul was a Roman Catholic priest in France in the 1600s who poured himself out for the poor. He was a man of deep faith, keen intellect, and enormous creativity who has become known as the ‘The Apostle of Charity’ and ‘Father of the Poor.’
Founder
Fast forward approximately 200 years from Vincent de Paul to Frédéric Ozanam, the founder of the worldwide society as it is organized today. In 1833 in France while just in college, Frédéric answered a challenge from another student that the Church had done much good work in the past, but "what do you do now?" Frédéric took the challenge and on his 20th birthday decided to found the 'Conference of Charity' to assist the poor. In a short time, they changed their name to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in honor of their patron and this is how the Society was officially formed in 1833. Today, the Society is an international charitable organization fulfilling this simple man’s mission to the poor all over the world.
Mission Statement of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its patron, St. Vincent de Paul, and founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam.
"You are the servant of the poor. They are your masters…” - St. Vincent de Paul
“Make it a practice to judge persons in the most favorable light at all times...” - St. Vincent de Paul
Now a recognized saint both in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, St. Vincent de Paul was a Roman Catholic priest in France in the 1600s who poured himself out for the poor. He was a man of deep faith, keen intellect, and enormous creativity who has become known as the ‘The Apostle of Charity’ and ‘Father of the Poor.’
Founder
Fast forward approximately 200 years from Vincent de Paul to Frédéric Ozanam, the founder of the worldwide society as it is organized today. In 1833 in France while just in college, Frédéric answered a challenge from another student that the Church had done much good work in the past, but "what do you do now?" Frédéric took the challenge and on his 20th birthday decided to found the 'Conference of Charity' to assist the poor. In a short time, they changed their name to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in honor of their patron and this is how the Society was officially formed in 1833. Today, the Society is an international charitable organization fulfilling this simple man’s mission to the poor all over the world.
Mission Statement of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its patron, St. Vincent de Paul, and founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam.
"You are the servant of the poor. They are your masters…” - St. Vincent de Paul
“Make it a practice to judge persons in the most favorable light at all times...” - St. Vincent de Paul
Meet Us
Beth Huston Store manager Beth has worked in various positions prior to coming to St. Vincent de Paul more than two years ago. Her college experience is a unique mixture of business classes and liberal arts studies which combine to make a great background for the Store Manager position, since she oversees the business operation of the store as well as the social services department. Beth has been an active member of the Catholic community in Pocatello and held various volunteer and professional positions there as well. Beth is a wife of 24 years with four adult sons and loves to sing, cook, garden, and hike. |
Sister Mary Colman Pyle Social Services Director has beeSister Mary Colman has been with St. Vincent de Paul as the Social Services Director for nearly five years. She brings extensive experience with a double Master's in Education as well as Social Work. She is a trained Montessori teacher for primary grade school children, a specialist in education for people with learning disabilities, a case worker, and a licensed Social Worker. She is a sister with the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. In her spare time, she likes to garden, craft things from her own spun wool, and sing. |
Keith Riemersma Board of Directors President Keith has been the Board of Directors President since 2015 and has lived in Pocatello for 40 years. He has a bachelors degree and a masters degree in Mechanical Engineering and recently retired from a Navy contractor at the Idaho National Laboratory after 38 years. Keith has extensive experience with service to the local Catholic community, serving as School Board President of Holy Spirit School and Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus. He enjoys working with the Board of Directors to find productive ways to help the poor of our area. |
Sue Johnson Board of Directors Treasurer Sue has been volunteering for St. Vincent de Paul for about five years, primarily in the role of Treasurer for the Board of Directors. She is well suited for this position as she is retired from the position of CEO at a local credit union. Additionally, she is the mother of five children, 11 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She plays pickle ball with friends and is a long-time member of the Catholic community here. |
Laura McKnight Board of Directors Pantry Coordinator Laura began volunteering at SVdP in April of 2020 following her retirement from Idaho State University as both a faculty member and administrator. Laura is a Registered Dietitian and holds a Master of Public Health. Food insecurity and food handling are her areas of expertise so she is a natural to have work in the food pantry and sit on the Board. Laura and her husband are music ministers for Holy Spirit Catholic Community and enjoy RVing and golfing. |
Kelley Olenick Board of Directors Secretary As a volunteer at SVdP, Kelley hopes to draw on her 33-year vocation as an audiologist where she helped others re-engage with the world through better hearing. Retired in 2021, she would now like to figure out how to fill the world with love for others (packaged with chocolate and a force field around the keyboard to repel dog hair). When she’s not writing grants or meeting minutes for SVdP, she is talking to one of her 3 kids, reading a good book in the back of a coffee shop, or dragging her husband and dogs on a random 4- wheeling adventure. |
Ted Peterson Board of directors Ted is a retired occupational therapist who taught in the Idaho State University Master of Occupational Therapy program for 12 years. He originally joined St. Vincent de Paul's social services program as a home visitor and was later asked to fill a Board vacancy. In addition to regular Board duties, he edits our conference's monthly eNewsletter. Ted also heads up the Catholic Community's Paraclete Ministry of visiting and taking Communion to the homebound. |
Kerry Hennessy Board of Directors Kerry has lived in Pocatello all of his life. He graduated from Idaho State University College of Business and began a career with British American Tobacco Co., from which he is recently retired. He has been married to Polly for 39 years and has raised 3 wonderful children. He is enjoying volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul because it gives him the opportunity to share his time and talent helping the less fortunate. He is also the District Deputy for the Knights of Columbus. |
Mitch Johnson Board of Directors Mitch has been associated with St. Vincent de Paul off and on for 15 years. He was Treasurer for 11 years and is now a Board member. He came to the organization with a varied background of data processing, accounting, and clerical in the banking, accounting, and insurance industries. He also has some experience at the federal and state levels. He retired in March 2020. He's been married for over 48 years, and they have one son who lives close which allows us lots of visiting time with the grandchildren and great grandchildren. |
Rosemary Nett board of Directors Rosemary is a wife and mother to 4 children, 11 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren which gives her a lot of life experience to apply while volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul. Professionally, she was a registered nurse where she worked at Southeastern Idaho Public Health Department as an immunization nurse. She has been a St. Vincent de Paul Board member for 6 years, including acting as Board President, and volunteer for 12 years. In her spare time, she likes to knit, garden, and read. |
Deacon Scott Pearhill Spiritual Advisor Deacon Scott Pearhill was ordained to the diaconate in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise in October, 2011 and serves at Holy Spirit Catholic Community. He is the Spiritual Director for St. Vincent de Paul in Pocatello, where he has been a helper in various capacities for over two decades. Deacon Scott and Marcy were married in 1992 and have two sons, Gabriel and Robert. |
