Deacon Steve Gies and his wife, Linda joined the St Joan of Arc community in 2020. Shortly after, Steve became the official Deacon for the parish which is now part of a 4-parish collaborative called Portage North. He has been a Deacon for over twenty years and brought energy and new ideas to our parish during a time when we were all suffering from the realities of Covid. His wife, Linda, graciously volunteered her time as the bulletin editor when the bulletin editor retired in 2021 and was eventually hired on in that position.

Steve and Linda have been very active over the years in the various communities that they have belonged to. Steve and Linda met when he was a Boy Scout Leader and were married in 1991. Together they have a son and Linda also has a son. Some of the organizations/groups that they have been involved with are, St Vincent de Paul Society, Prison Ministry, and Bereavement Ministry.

Earlier this year, it was discovered that Steve had "Adenocarcinoma of the Jejunum." Cancer where the stomach meets the intestines. He had surgery on July 1st to remove the tumor and after further tests he was diagnosed with stage 3a2 cancer that had spread to two of his lymph nodes. He is currently on his first round of chemotherapy and will continue until January 28th.

While Steve was in treatment, Linda suffered from 3 stuttering lacunar strokes that left her unable to walk straight, double vision and her organizational skills have been impaired. She is currently in rehab to help with balance and walking.

Both of these have left them with a tremendous financial burden. We hope that friends and family will be able to offer their support and also reach out to others!