St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lake Mills, Wisconsin
St. Vincent de Paul Society ofLake Mills, Wisconsin

Our History

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lake Mills Conference began in 1965 when an energetic young priest, Father Bernard Pickarts, convinced five young men from St. Mary Magdaline Catholic Church in Johnson Creek and St. Frances Xavier Catholic Church in Lake Mills to attend a meeting in Madison to discuss the possibility of starting an St.Vincent de Paul council in the Lake Mills/Johnson Creek area.  Rumor has it that after the meeting, Father Pickarts wouldn't let any of the men out of the vehicle until they had agreed on a time for their first meeting as a conference.

 

The men met every two weeks to discuss ways to raise money to help the poor and needy in the area.  With monetary help from the members of the two churches they were able to give financial assistance to people asking for help.  Then Don and Mary Pat Klein stepped forward and allowed the society to rent a small store front on Water Street from them for very little money and the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift store in Lake Mills started operating on Fridays and Saturdays.  The wives of the members helped sort, tag and price clothing and household items as well as run the cash register.  Fortunately, the surrounding communities were very generous with their donations and the little store grew and expanded its hours.

 

In 1992 the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store moved to its current location on East Lake Street.  Since then the store has added on two additions because of the incredible generosity of the Lake Mills and surrounding communities.  Members still meet twice a month for prayer and reflection and to discuss the applications for assistance they receive.

 

St. Vincent de Paul Society was founded on the idea of helping those in need. Ever since our organization was established, we have endeavored to provide help where the need is greatest.

Our team is made up entirely of volunteers. We advocate for those who need our help. Even a little help goes a long way.

That is why we are especially happy to find new volunteers who share our commitment to doing good in the world. 

 

Call           

920-648-2800 or fill out our contact form.

 

St. Vincent de Paul Society

 720 E. Lake St.

Lake Mills, WI  53551-1739

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