Sr. Roselyn Heil, FSPA, shares a Native American story with students at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School in Ashland. She arrived recently in the cluster to work particularly with the Native population. (Submitted photo)

“The Black and Indian Missions collection has been very helpful to us,” Sr. Felissa Zander, SSSF exclaimed, “For so many, many years!”

The School Sister of St. Francis has been aware of the collection since 1961.

She said, “Over the years, the charitable monies have been and presently are used to help the students with school supplies, daily busing expenses, salaries for the teachers and teacher aides, and the many other needs for the children’s Catholic education.”

As St. Francis Solanus School in Reserve, founded in 1885, is a non-tuition school, Sr. Felissa expressed her appreciation for all Catholic Extension provides.

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School in Ashland also uses funds from the collection for tuition for Native American students. Approximately one-third of the school’s students are Native – members of the Bad River Tribe near Odanah as well as the Red Cliff Tribe closer to Bayfield.

Sr. Felissa Zander, SSSF, is pictured with students of St. Francis Solanus Mission School in Reserve, where she serves as principal. (Catholic Herald photo by Jenny Snarski)