Daybreak says ‘goodbye’ to director and ‘hello’ to biggest fundraiser yet

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Daybreak Center is saying a ‘goodbye’ to its beloved director but a ‘hello’ to its biggest fundraising goal reached yet.

Sister Katie Norris has been working with the Daybreak Center since June of 2015. She says saying goodbye will be hard but she’s happy to be leaving on a high note.

“I’ve just been here two years, but it’s been two of the best years I would have to say,” she said.

Even though Norris will soon be leaving the center she worked so hard to build and grow, volunteer Jeff Battcher is happy to say participants and staff still have a reason to smile–or more like 80,000 reasons.

“Our goal was to raise 80,000 dollars for the sleep out and we raised 86,500,” he said.

Exceeding their goal, Battcher says it may not have been possible without the leadership and care of Sister Katie.

“We’re all going to miss Sister Katie a great deal and she has just been remarkable to this facility, but more than anything just give it a solid foundation,” said Battcher.

The money will go toward maintaining that solid foundation for day to day operations and activities at Daybreak.

“To reach this goal is just fantastic and it will help the 130 people a day who come to Daybreak for services,” he added.

Sister Katie says it’s been her joy to see how the center has continued to expand–especially in its ability to provide for the people.

“When you see how people can turn their lives around, when you see their honesty about who they are and where they’ve been, and their dreams for where they can go, that’s a treasure you know,” she said.

It’s a treasure she’ll take with her and cherish in her next role. Sister Katie will be taking a position in St. Louis that will put her in charge of more than 400 religious members of the Sisters of Charities.

She will be replaced by Sister Theresa Sullivan who says she’s eager to begin her work at the Daybreak Center.

If you’re interested in donating toward the Daybreak ‘Sleep Out’ fundraiser, it isn’t to late to do so. All you have to do is go to their website herehere and click the button that says ‘donate’.