service league prayer lunch

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38th Prayer Luncheon 2024

On Thursday, May 2nd the Service League welcomed over 200 guests for its 38th Annual Prayer Luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Foster City to celebrate the National Day of Prayer.

Steve Wagstaffe, Board President and District Attorney of San Mateo County, MC'd the event which featured musical performances by Break Free Music Ministries and powerful personal testimony. Sheriff Christina Corpus and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Honor Guard kickstarted the event by leading the pledge of allegiance. Carol Galvin, Board Member and Development Committee Chair, gave the opening invocation and grace. We welcomed several Religious and Spiritual Services volunteers to share positive messages of faith including Bishop Blake Hansen from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Wanda Molari from AA, and Chaplin Drew Shih from Passion for the Lost.

Lanel Burleson, a Hope House alumna, and her daughter, Sabirah Majeedah Burleson, shared a powerful personal story of courage, change and renewal. Lanel spoke about how 27 years ago, she entered the program pregnant and lost. Today she has two healthy and thriving daughters, one of whom was born while she was enrolled in the program. She is so grateful for her full and blessed life and now shares it with so many others as the Associate Director of the Navigation Center in Redwood City.

The second annual Dennis Sammut Ambassador Award was awarded to Michael Murray, Board Member, by our Executive Director, Karen M. Francone. The award was given for his extraordinary dedication to the Service League of San Mateo County during his 14 years as Religious Services Coordinator. He generously shared his spiritual knowledge, grace and guidance with thousands of inmates and volunteers over the years. His nonjudgmental ways have been boundless, stretching across all faiths. His gentle and loving spirit has healed souls and restored their belief in a fulfilling spiritual life. Michael was additionally awarded certificates of recognition from the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, Congressman Kevin Mullin and Assemblymember Diane Papan.

A special thank you to our Miracle of Hope Sponsor, the Michael and Sally Mayer Family Foundation, for your generous financial support and for providing the beautiful flower arrangements. Thank you also to Sharri Robinson, Hope House Therapist and Art Therapy Instructor, for working with our residents to create the unique art card keepsake for each of our guests.

Thank you to all who attended including our sponsors, donors, volunteers, staff, Hope House residents and alumni, spiritual leaders and speakers. You were all instrumental in making this event such a powerful, uplifting and successful day!