03/14/03 - GINA TUPY - community

1. Gina Tupy, a dedicated, cheerful, and generous community leader, is the Senior High Youth Ministry Coordinator at the Church of St. Michael. She devotes herself to the teens, or young people as she calls them, of Prior Lake. Gina has worked to establish a teen counter, Holy Grounds Coffee House, where teens, no matter from what town, religion, or school they are from, can come together in a safe and fun environment. A board of directors, up to about fifty teens runs Holy Grounds Coffee House; however, behind almost every attainment, there is Gina. The teen center has come a long way and now includes a big screen TV, large TV, Play station, karaoke, sound system, pool table, fireplace, air hockey, foosball, and coffee counter with just as much, if not more, choices that a professional coffee house could offer. Gina spends her Friday and Saturday nights between 7 and 11 o’clock not with the adults, but here at the coffeehouse with her favorite age group – the young people, supervising and enjoying herself. You can also find Gina at the home Laker events because she truly believes that the young people in the community need to be supported since they are the future. She is well known for her lightheartedness, laughter, faith, and the commitment she makes to teens – watching out for them (as they deserve nothing but the best she says), and making sure they are brought up as good, strong leaders with morals and values. She is unique with her optimistic outlook on anything she is confronted with and her special way of making anyone feel welcome and loved. Ask Gina what she does, and she will deny the fact she does anything above and beyond, but don’t be fooled. Gina Tupy gives so much of her time, money, and effort, it would probably take ten people to fill her shoes because she is undoubtedly one of the parish’s and the community’s greatest and priceless assets.

(She also is a resource person for school administration in how to understand high school age students.)

2. I am nominating Gina Tupy for her dedication to the many youth of St. Michael. Gina is the youth director at the parish of St. Michael. Her generosity of her time and talent towards the Prior Lake community is truly evident in the youth she has touched. Gina gave up her hair dressing business to reach the youth of St. Michael. Through her efforts she has brought the 9^th and 10^th grade confirmation classes closer to Jesus and also more connected with the rest of the world’s needs. Gina respects each individual for who they are, not what they may have done. Gina Tupy is always with the youth and loves them. The youth of St. Michael love her also!

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