Growing up in Queens, I can still remember bringing canned goods and other gifts to church for delivery to the Ottilie Home. At that time, all I recall is that Ottilie helped children who had no parents. It made us feel good to know that we were helping some unfortunate people - even a little bit.

Because of those remembrances, my visit to the merged St. Christopher-Ottilie in Sea Cliff was particularly poignant for me. Arriving at 4:30 p.m., with my wife, Phoebe, we were taken on a tour of the facilities -- one of 50 locations throughout Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. St. Christopher-Ottilie cares for approximately 4,000 children and families every day.

With some 1,800 children in caring foster homes, St. Christopher-Ottilie also provides adoptive services, medical care, training for foster parents and mental health counseling. There is also care for children who are profoundly retarded and those who are developmentally disabled -- children who have become too difficult to be handled by parents or who have just been rejected or neglected because of their disability.

To observe the staff working with these children brought tears to the eyes of my wife and me. The loving care by the staff was obvious, and the quest of the children for human interaction was spontaneous. In one area, teenaged children were working on valentine cards. Several of them could not wait to share their work with us. Where would they be without St. Christopher-Ottilie?

While we did not visit the transitional shelters for families, homeless young men and homeless girls and babies, the safety net for all of them is made available through the work of St. Christopher-Ottilie.

After touring the Sea Cliff facility, I could see why a part of the mission statement for St. Christopher-Ottilie states, "Love, service and respect are the spiritual forces that energize all of our activities."

Caring for the most innocent and vulnerable in our society is the task of St. Christopher-Ottilie. Those who are involved in this task cannot be praised enough. My words cannot express the spiritual reality of what they do. And the work is not easy. Children with physical and emotional challenges can drain energy. I asked whether there was much burnout with the staff? While several people I met had been there for over 10 years, the answer was that burnout can take place in just one shift at work. It all depends on what events intersect.

Beyond the supportive staff, volunteers are always needed. If you would like to help, call Renee Swanson at 671-1253. And if you would like to help financially, the Annual Ball of St. Christopher-Ottilie will be held on March 5 at the Garden City Hotel. Honoring Joseph Mancino, the CEO of Roslyn Savings Bank, the event promises to be a fun evening. Again, if you can help as a volunteer or financially, please give Renee Swanson a call. This is a special organization which really deserves our support.