We're All Gods Children Board of Directors
Carol Fanelli, the current President of We’re All God’s Children, founded the organization in October 2004.
The establishment of this organization came from her desire to follow the gospel of Jesus Christ to serve those in need and share the resources that God has so graciously provided.
Carol has been volunteering in leadership positions since 1984. While living in Levittown, PA for twelve years, she was actively involved in Girl Scouts USA holding a variety of positions. In 1989, she founded B-PURE (Bucks People United to Restore the Environment), a grassroots organization concerned with local environmental issues and policies. In 1991, she was elected as President of PEN (Pennsylvania Environmental Network), a statewide organization networking local grassroots groups on a variety of environmental issues. She continued her involvement with PEN for over ten years. Carol worked on many legislative issues and was instrumental in the passing of The Pesticide Notification Act, which allows parents access to information on pesticides being used in their children’s schools.
Carol feels that it is always important to give to others by sharing your talents freely. She started at the age of sixteen by becoming a Red Cross volunteer at a local hospital. Throughout the years, she has continued that desire to help others by working in a hospital and a residential home, and also in the home healthcare field. She became an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) after moving to Lancaster County in 1993 and volunteered with two ambulance associations in Southern Lancaster County.
Although Carol brings to the board her leadership skills and her empathy for others, she realizes that, only through the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit, are these things possible. Carol and her husband Tom currently reside in Lancaster County. They have been married for thirty-five years and have raised two daughters, Alicia and Christa.
Maxine Rhoads is Secretary of We're All God's Children and the Chair of the Native American Outreach Committee.
Maxine believes in WAGC's mission and vision statement, combining her love for all her relatives, as well as following Creator's will to help all those less fortunate.
Maxine works full time at the Perry Point Veterans Medical Center in Maryland in medical research. She is a member of the EEO Native American Committee at Perry Point Veterans Medical Center. In addition, she is an active member of St. Paul's Church in Quarryville.
She initiated and became the manager of the EEO Native American Committee at Perry Point Medical Center over 15 years ago. Although she has stepped down from that position, Maxine remains an active working member of the committee. She helped initiate the first Native American Festival held at the Perry Point Medical Center 10 years ago. This ongoing festival is held the first weekend in June, to honor all modern day warriors -- our Veterans. Maxine has shared her heritage with the public schools to educate the children in the ways and traditions of native people. She is very passionate about her involvement with the Native American peoples.
Maxine and her husband Ben currently reside in Lancaster County. They have three daughters, Tina, Sheila, and Heather, as well as two sons Ben and Matt. They are currently enjoying their 8 grandchildren and praise God for all of their blessings.
Cheryl Hohenadel has been involved with We’re All God’s Children since the summer of 2008, when her husband became involved with the Native American team.
Cheryl has worked for over a year as the data entry person for the foundation, and since joining the board has taken over the position of Treasurer, filling the vacated spot upon the resignation of our former treasurer.
Cheryl is a 1974 graduate of J.P. McCaskey high school. She is presently a homemaker in the New Providence, PA area. She is the mother of 3 adult children, Jason, Joshua, and Jaclyn, and is looking forward to the birth of her first grandchild in November of 2010. She has been married for 35 years to her husband, Jack, who is also involved with WAGC.
Cheryl is a firm believer in the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, and agrees with the vision and mission statements of WAGC. Believing as Jesus did “If you have done unto the least of these my brother, you have done also unto me", she seeks to put her faith into action by her service.
John “Jack” Hohenadel Jr., our current Vice-President, first became involved in the Native American program of We’re All God’s Children in early 2008.
After several months of training and preparation, Jack joined the first eyeglass clinic team to visit Pine Ridge, South Dakota in June, 2008 and has been hooked ever since. Jack has also served on the Appalachian Team in preparation for their November 2008 mission trip.
Jack has a strong belief in WAGC’s mission and vision statement and combines a deep desire to help those less fortunate with an undying love for the Native American people. He hopes to remain a fixture with WAGC for years to come.
A native of Lancaster County, Jack is a graduate of J.P. McCaskey High School. Jack and his wife Cheryl reside in New Providence where they have raised 2 sons, Jason and Joshua, and a daughter Jaclyn. He has been an employee of Howmet-Alumax-Alcoa for the past 28 ½ years. When relaxing, you’ll find Jack hunting, reading or playing softball, in the Willow Street area.
As a member of the Board of Directors, Sandy Smith brings a wealth of talents to We’re All God’s Children.
She is a member and Past President of the Pennsylvania Environmental Network—a statewide grassroots environmental organization. Sandy has spoken at hearings given by the USDA, EPA, FDA and PA DEP from NJ to Washington, D.C. on environmental matters such as water and air quality, food labeling, genetically engineered food and the use of sewage sludge as food crop fertilizer. Many articles she has written on these subjects have appeared in numerous newspapers.
In 1999 Sandy visited the Ukraine, along with five other women from the East Coast, to share their knowledge and experiences and exchange information among women grassroots activists from Belarus, Moldova and the Ukraine. This program was made possible by the Initiative for Social Action and Renewal in Eurasia (ISAR). During her visit to Moldova, she learned about the professional and personal challenges facing women activists in their day-to-day work. Sandy gained both an admiration for their accomplishments and a new perspective on activism: women (as do men) all over the world want a cleaner, safer, healthier and more moral environment for their children and the next generation.
Sandy has been riding, training horses and teaching horsemanship for 50 + years in NY, NJ, VT, DE, MD, NC, VA, and PA. She trained polo ponies and taught polo, ran riding programs at camps, and worked with disabled vets. Sandy started the riding program for the Girl Scout Camp Echo Trail in York County as well as creating a new riding badge for Juniors. While running the Girl Scout program with 16 girls in the summer mornings, she ran a boarding school of horsemanship, gave local riding lessons, taught mentality challenged students and started a riding program for the Easter Seals children in York County. She has bought, sold, trained and bred riding, show and race horses.
While fox hunting, Sandy met and married the love of her life--Gibson Smith. In 2006, just before Valentine's Day, Gibson passed away. They were married for 34 short years and raised three lovely children, Gibson IV, Gretel and Wright. As a family, they are active with York's Helping Hand for the Homeless collecting baby dolls for little girls, delivering over 100 Christmas trees per season, and year-round collecting of books, magazines and Bibles.
At present, Sandy trains and races five Thoroughbreds, works as a Sales Rep for Aspen Home Improvements and continues to work on environmental issues. She is happy to devote her time to making a difference in people's lives.
Jim Hagner comes to the board of We’re All God’s Children with 21 years small business ownership experience.
Previous to that he spent 10 years as a division manager for a York area business. He started in business as a manufacturing engineer for a company in Philadelphia. Jim has long had a heart for Christian service to others, especially for those who grow up in the depressed areas of Appalachia and don’t know any other way of life. This is of great interest to him.
Jim has lived in Red Lion, York County for 30 years. Prior to that, he hales from the Philadelphia area. He is a graduate of Western New England College in Springfield, MA. He has 3 children, Shawn, Tracy and Jeremy, and 5 grandchildren, ranging in age from 20 to 4. Currently he is self employed doing sales for Cars by Dealers magazine in Central PA and the North Baltimore area of MD. He also has an on line Christian ministry. His wife Mona of 40 years has a caring heart and was the impedance behind Jim’s desire to serve others. Scripture tells us over and over to serve rather than be served. Jim feels he was led by God to be part of an organization working to help others. He has found a home with WAGC.
Mary Ann Tragesser, now a member of the Board of Directors, first joined We’re All God’s Children as a member of the Native American team in 2008.
She was born in Philadelphia and has lived in Lancaster since 1977. She has been an Aftercare Representative with the Charles F. Snyder, Jr. Funeral Home since 2005. Prior to that, Mary Ann worked at St. Leo the Great Church as the Parish Secretary for twenty years and as the Pastoral Minister for two years. She continues to be an active member of St. Leo's, and serves as a Lector and a Eucharistic Minister to the sick. She has three married children and seven grandchildren. In her free time Mary Ann enjoys spending time with her family, her dog "Angel", reading and traveling.