Page 29 - Catholic Extension Magazine Winter 2019

Extension | Winter 2019 29

ANDY CORNETT | DIOCESE OF PENSACOLA-TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
individuals over seven weeks. He His motto is, “Let all who encoun-
An Army veteran who leads with love managed more than 4,000 volun- ter you every day encounter
Christ.”
teers who recorded over 25,000
hours. The effort served an esti- Most Rev. William A. Wack,
mated 150,000 hot meals, includ- CSC, the bishop of Pensacola-Tal-
ing a sit-down Thanksgiving meal lahassee, said, “Andy is a very
and manage volunteers. The park- for 2,000 people. humble servant. His efforts and
ing lot at St. Dominic became a Cornett’s contributions have leadership, at a time of great tur-
staging area for all the relief efforts been diverse, including home vis- moil and tragedy in his commu-
in the region: food, water, cloth- its and basic cleanup. He visited nity, is an inspiring story of God’s
ing and medicine — millions of elderly people who had been liv- gifts being put to work for His
pounds of these necessities made ing in a trailer for months after glory.”
their way through St. Dominic in their homes were flooded. He also Catholic Extension has granted
the ensuing months. Cornett was removed downed trees, which lit- nearly $11.6 million to the diocese
at the heart of directing this mas- tered homes, yards and roads. over the years for campus minis-
sive effort. Throughout all, Cornett has try, church building, lay leadership
Cornett led the response at five remained laser-focused on the training, and hurricane recovery
distribution sites serving 81,000 real mission: sharing God’s love. and rebuilding.

81,000

Number of people
served by Cornett
and his team after a
Category 5 hurricane

ABOVE Among Cornett’s many duties in the aftermath of the hurricane was
clearing fallen trees.
LEFT Retired Army officer Andy Cornett organized thousands of volunteers to
serve residents after Hurricane Michael devastated Panama City, Florida.