Encore’s Third Annual “Evening of Stories"
April 19th | 7 PM | Fellowship Hall, 625 W. Adams
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Bring your family and friends and join us for an evening of true personal stories from fascinating guest storytellers. The stories will share the heartbreaking, the hilarious, and everything in between. You'll feel like you have joined old friends to share life experiences over drinks! Admission is $10. There will be snacks available along with a cash bar. Please register by April 17th.
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Our special guest storytellers include...
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Will ClingerWill Clinger has worked as an actor, producer, writer and TV show host, and appeared on various stages and screens for over 30 years. He is probably best known as the host and segment producer of Wild Chicago, a television program that looked at the offbeat side of the city and aired on WTTW/Channel 11. His work on the show earned him fourteen Midwest Emmy awards. Will is currently producing and hosting the half-hour TV series Wild Travels, airing nationally on PBS.
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Jemia Cunningham-ElderBorn and raised in Chicago, Ms. Jemia Cunningham-Elder became passionate about education during college when she was exposed to slave narratives and other influential texts such as the autobiographies of Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X. Learning about the power of education, especially in the Black community, inspired her to dedicate her career to making positive change through supporting the education of others.
She began her time at NLCP as the Director of External Affairs and was appointed to the position of CEO in September 2022. She is a graduate of Lake Forest College and holds a master’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Development from Boston College and a certificate in Nonprofit Management. |
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Katie BrandtKatie Brandt has been on staff at Old St Pat's for over 14 years in the Family Ministry Department. Years ago she took a storytelling class and might be a little rusty, but she hopes you will enjoy her story. She has been married to Tom for 32 years and is the proud Mom of three adult children, all who are featured in her story. She has recently joined the national craze and has taken up pickle ball and loves it. Katie gets charged up every week while working with 2nd and 3rd graders at Penn School in North Lawndale with the Open Books Reading Buddies. They are so fun!
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Marssie MencottiMarssie Mencotti had a delightful time portraying Clara in Noel Coward’s Hayfever in 2022. She has also performed with Stage Left, Rivendell, The Raven, Prop, Lifeline, The Gift, and other fine Chicago theatre companies. Currently her voice can be heard on Visionworks commercials and as Ruby Buckaroo in the audio comedy western, “Hoofbeats In My Heart.” She has appeared on Chicago Fire and Work In Progress and in several films. She’s an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago and a proud member of SAG.
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Father Tom HurleyFr Tom Hurley is a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Born on the city’s southside in the Beverly/ Morgan Park neighborhood, Tom was ordained a priest in 1993. Between 1993 to 1997, Fr Hurley served as Associate Pastor at the churches of Most Holy Redeemer and St. Cajetan. From 1997 until 2003, Tom joined the faculty of St. Joseph College Seminary at Loyola University as Admissions/Vocation Director, earned a Masters degree in Liturgical Studies from the University of Notre Dame, while serving as weekend associate at Chicago’s historic Old St. Patrick’s Church. From 2003 until 2021, Tom was both Associate Pastor and Pastor of Old St. Pat’s. Fr. Hurley presently serves at his alma mater, Marist High School, as Vice President for Advancement & Ministry.
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Brenda ChavezBrenda Chavez is the new Director of Young Adult Ministry and Neighborhood Engagement at Old St. Pat's. Her background is in Higher Education with a Masters of Education focusing on young adult development. She recently returned from a Fulbright in Mexico working with the Wixarika people and international education. Brenda is excited to now focus on working in Young Adult ministry supporting OSP's community.
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Brendan CournaneBrendan Cournane is a recovering lawyer who is now a Professional Development Coach helping his clients understand why they do what they do in life. He is a frequent storyteller around Chicago whose stories draw from his life experiences as a marathon runner, mindfulness practitioner, attorney and person in recovery, blending his experience, strength and hope to entertain his audiences. To satisfy his wanderlust and adventurous genes, he has run around the world, having completed a marathon in all 50 states, and on each of the seven continents (yes, even with the penguins in Antarctica); and has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. He continues his quest for more exciting opportunities. He loves connecting with other OSP members and swapping tidbits about life.
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Steve CochranSteve Cochran was born and raised in upstate New York near Ithaca, in the shadows of Cornell University. The shadows of Cornell were the closest Steve came to an Ivy League education as he found out his grades were more suited to the Broadcasting School at Ithaca College. Over his career Steve has also done some silly acting in some small roles in some good films. Steve has performed with Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, and Gary Shandling to name a few- or three and continues to headline several stand up comedy shows all around the Chicago area and the Midwest. Listen to the Steve Cochran show live weekday mornings from 5:30 – 9:00 a.m. on 890 WLS, wherever radio is streamed, and on all smart devices.
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