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Brother Norb above norm in the caring department If you or someone you know ever crossed paths with Brother Norbert Karpfinger, chances are good that you've heard from him again, or you will in the future. Brother Norb taught at the former Assumption High School in East St. Louis in the 1960s, Vianney High School in Kirkwood in the 1970s and St. Mary High School in St. Louis from 1978 to 1980. He also was assigned to Pueblo, Colo., and the Milwaukee area during the 55 years he's been a Brother of Mary. Back in 1989, Brother Norb was assigned to work at an alternative high school in East St. Louis. When he turned 65 several years later, his order sent him to the Catholic Day Care Center and Kindergarten in the same city, where he has been ever since. After decades of working with sometimes sullen teenagers, Brother Norb works with children in the age range of 2 to 5. "I believe that God wants us to be happier the older we get, and I'm experiencing that now," he said. Not that he didn't enjoy his high school experiences. He did. But Brother Norb's eyes light up as he watches a little girl of 3 stride down the hallway of what was once St. Adelbert Grade School to deliver a lunch count to the cafeteria. He recounts with pride how the children performed at the Christmas program, or how they look in their tiny caps and gowns at kindergarten graduation each spring. With only 10 years at the center, Brother Norb is one of the newcomers. From the outside, the one-story red brick building looks like most any other school building. Inside, the institutional ugly linoleum and tile is overlooked by the children, who smile and wave at visitors as they march down the hallway from a bathroom break. A few of the children are the offspring of former students. Three of the children are from Missouri; some come from Granite City and Fairview Heights. Word-of-mouth is the only real advertising the center does, Sister Gema said. Brother Norb teaches computer skills to the 4- and 5-year-olds on Tuesday and Friday mornings. Much of the time he spends at the day care, he said, is on writing letters. No computer for him. Brother Norb pulls one of the five pens clipped to his front shirt pocket and writes letters thanking people for past donations and drumming up future ones. "In October, I wrote almost 400 letters to people whose addresses I had, who have already given over the years," Brother Norb said. Those letters went to former colleagues, students, parents and acquaintances. "Since I'd written to them before, I didn't have to say please give because of this and that." Instead, those letters just asked them to please give. "I think I'm the only one doing this," he said. He gets a solid response. The center serves 55-60 children on an annual budget of about $250,000. Roughly half the children get various subsidies to help cover the cost of tuition. Of the $250,000, Brother Norb raised $40,000 via his letter-writing campaign. He doesn't take a hard sell approach. He's much more of a gentle persuader, on paper and in person. He was the third of seven children growing up in the Milwaukee area, and is now uncle to many adult nieces and nephews. "They are benefactors of this place," he said. When Brother Norb learned that the president of Radio Flyer — the company that makes those little red wagons — was a graduate of Notre Dame, he dropped him a line. "Surprise me," he wrote. Robert Pasin, the president of Radio Flyer, did just that. He had wagons and toy carts delivered to the center. The New Year holiday meant no mail delivery for three days. Once the mail resumed, Brother Norb received a pile of letters — and donations — all in one day. "I had 13 thank you letters to write, and that's the first thing I do." Every one of the letters that Brother Norb writes, whether it's one to say thank you or one to say please give, end the same way: God bless you and all of those dear to you. God has blessed the Catholic Day Care Center and Kindergarten with Brother Norb. ______________________________________________________________ |