Brenda is pictured above in aqua. She states, "I’ve lived my whole life in Neopit and have been a member of St. Anthony where I received all my sacraments. During Father Ed Witzak’s time, we started smudging in church and giving of eagle feathers for sacraments and burials. When we had the school, I worked open gym at night, giving the people of Neopit a place to be and keeping kids busy.  I taught religion classes when the school closed, and now am a Eucharistic minister, on parish council, do bank deposits, work fundraisers like fish fries, help set up before and after church, help decorate church and do just about anything that needs attention. I am now the coordinator of the food pantry. I buy the perishable food—meat, milk eggs and cheese for the pantry and screen the people for eligibility. We serve people from Neopit, Zoar and Middle Village.  I like the people at St. Anthony’s, I appreciate the priests and love all those who help out in any way. I would love to come to your church and meet some of you."

Barb is pictured above in brown. She states, "I love to work at St. Anthony’s in the pantry. We stock shelves, put boxes of food together such as chili helper, rice, cereal and crackers ahead of time for some of the pantry regulars and later add the milk, cheese, eggs from Save A Lot. I also like to help with church and come early to decorate for the seasons, arrange flowers, clean church and wipe down pews and hang cedar bundles. I help lead the rosary before Mass sometimes. I also work on fish fries getting the word out that desserts will be needed for the fish fry and people bring plenty. Diana, Brenda and I meet the day of the fish fry to take the fish out to thaw, make the rye bread packs, dish out the coleslaw, cut the lemons, put catsup and tartar sauce in small containers, cut the desserts and put them on plates so that we are ready to fill the orders when the fish fry starts. I love coming to St. Anthony’s Parish to help out. I even cancel other things I have planned to volunteer at St. Anthony’s. Our new priest Father Hahn from the Philippines is friendly and seems like he will fit here."

Diana Waukau (mother of Jaqueline Pubanz) is pictured above in navy. She has been a lifelong member of St. Anthony’s. She recounts, “I’ve lived a block from the church, in the house I was raised in for the past 52 years. When we had the school, I used to help with Bingo.  These days I keep active by helping with the counting and church deposit.  I’ve worked in the food pantry for over 7 years, help decorate church, and work fish fries, spaghetti dinners and barbecue sandwich lunches.  I love our beautiful church and the people who work so hard to keep it going. We are so happy when people join us for church.” 

Jacci, who is pictured above, is the daughter of Diana Waukau. She states, “Because I was born in Neopit, it feels like where I belong. St. Anthony’s has a warm feeling of family, a closeness that I do not find in any other place. I appreciate the kindness of the parishioners. Sometimes it is challenging to be in a small parish—each person fulfills many roles. I am a Trustee, sometimes provide music through iPad, I’m on finance council, parish council, worship committee. I also lector and like to do the fundraisers with my brothers (mostly fish fries). We make it a family event. I also helped supervise the last part of the renovation of the church in 2018. When Co-Vid is over, we would love to come and visit St. Thomas More."

Jerry Waukau is pictured above in gray, along with Lloyd (left in red) and Isaiah (right in black). He states, "My name is Jerry Waukau, also known as 'Gaiti' on the reservation. I like to bring people to church: first my mother, then my older brother Orman, also known as Chief, and now my grandchildren. I also make sure my grandchildren make it through religious education. Two of my grandsons, Isaiah and Lloyd, have been faithful smudgers at St. Anthony’s for at least five years. They also have smudged at other churches when the parish was asked to participate. Now my granddaughter, Vanessa, is a server. Isaiah told me that he “Feels better when I go to Church up there (St. Anthony’s). I think he has picked up on the sense of community at St. Anthony’s and how everyone feels a part of it. One of the elder members, Ben Kaquatosh, encouraged me to continue to involve my grandchildren in church.

Belonging to St. Anthony’s is like going back to my roots. I was encouraged by Aunt Jerilyn to join St. Anthony’s and become involved. I’ve served on the parish council, encouraged by Chief when he said "It’s your turn now." I’ve been a communion distributer, a reader, worked on chili sales and fish fries. I learned to volunteer as a boy when I would get boxes and be a go-fer for the ladies who set up the monthly rummage sales at St. Anthony’s School. Sometimes, I’m asked to speak to represent the parishioners. My Uncle Sparky (Hilary) Waukau who was a great speaker always told me, "Someone needs to speak up."

My name is Duane (Buckle) Waukau (I’m Gaiti’s brother) and am always finding ways to help St. Anthony Parish. From being on the Parish Council, to chili sales and fish fries, I remember my mother’s words, “Do your duty to the church and God.” I’ve used a lot of opportunities to help the parish, combining a food drive for St. Anthony’s with the Halloween haunted house and trail rides. Father Dave Kiefer would get Packer tickets that I used to create a raffle and earn the parish money that was needed. Sometimes this raffle was the parish’s most successful fund raiser. When not working a fundraiser, I sometimes use my music (DJ) talents for weddings, anniversaries, funerals and other gatherings.

For me, St. Anthony is almost home having lived in Neopit and gone to School at St. Anthony’s. I truly love St. Anthony and hope it will stay forever. It is so special because it was built by people from home and the lumber was from the Menominee forest. There is s closeness there among the people, good priests and “Churchtime” for the small children.