After Your Weekend
You've gone on a Weekend. Now what?
Find resources to help you to use what you learned on the weekend, connect with the WWME community in order to find additional support and find additional tools to keep your relationship vibrant and alive.Annual Search Begins for Longest Married Couples in United States
press releases, Worldwide Marriage Encounter News
San Bernardino, CA – The annual search is on for the longest married couple in the United States it was announced today by the U.S. leaders of Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), the original faith-based marriage enrichment program in this country.
This is the second consecutive year for the highly acclaimed project recognizing couples for their long marriages. This past February Marshall and Winnie Kuykendall of New Mexico were honored nationally for their 82 years of marriage. There were also 50 state winners recognized for their longest marriages at the same time. There were over 350 couples nominated for the honors during the last event. Winners were selected from nominations submitted.
“Once again we want to honor the longest married couple in the United States as well as in each of the 50 states and territories. The national winners will be recognized during Valentine’s Week 2012, which coincides with World Marriage Day, which is the second Sunday of February,” explained Scott & Karen Seaborn and Fr, Tom Griffith, SVD, the United States Ecclesial Team for WWME.
They added that an Alumni Club has been started for all those couples honored this year and that the Kuykendalls will pass on the U.S. honor to a new couple in 2012. Previous state winners can vie for the national title, but they also are now considered members of the alumni of longest married couples in their individual states. This allows for new couples to be recognized across the country.
“It is an appropriate time in our marriage enrichment ministry to recognize a husband and wife who have been married for many, many years,” the U.S. ecclesial team explained.
Jose and Marilyn Garcia and Fr. Mitch Walters, the North American Ecclesial Team for WWME, added, “We are so pleased that the decision had been made to have this very special activity become an annual project. We believe that this activity will continue to highlight not only the many positive benefits of long term marriages, but also honor those couples that are committed to their marriages.”
The Kuykendalls, who will celebrate their 83 anniversary on Feb. 14 of next year, were also recognized this year by President Barack Obama as well as the New Mexico governor and the state legislature for their longest marriage. Governors from other states also recognized their state winners. There also was congressional recognition on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for the project.
In addition to the longest married couple for the entire United States, recognition will also be given to a couple from each state and territories who has achieved that distinction. In the case of the United States couple, appropriate gifts will be presented to them at a ceremony to be held at their location during Valentine’s week. The state winners will receive personal recognition and a special certificate of achievement from the Worldwide Marriage Encounter movement.
Nominations, which are open to all husband and wife couples regardless of religious affiliation, may be submitted by email, regular mail or by calling a special phone number. The process will be overseen by Dick & Diane Baumbach and Fr. Dick Morse, who serve as the North American Weekend Pillar for the WWME movement.
The contact information for sending in a nomination, which simply requires the name of the couple, their wedding date and where they currently reside plus a contact phone or email address of the individual nominating the couple, is as follows: email dickanddiane66@bellsouth.net ; regular mail Dick & Diane Baumbach 1430 Scorpious Ct. Merritt Island, FL 32953 and special phone number 321-453-2475. Nominations must be received by January 10th, 2012.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 42 years and is considered the original faith-based marriage enrichment program. The programs are continually updated to keep abreast of changes in society, and WWME now offers evening and half-day programs that are presented at parishes and other church facilities. The weekend program, traditionally presented as an overnight experience at a hotel or retreat center, can also be presented at the parish where the couples return to their homes in the evenings. WWME has a presence in over 90 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world. In North America, the WWME programs are presented in English, Spanish, French, and Korean languages.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other. It offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today’s world. To learn more about the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends online, go to wwme.org, or you can call 1-800-795-LOVE (English) and 1-800-599-AMOR (Spanish), or contact the WWME national office at (909) 863-9963.
Media inquires should be directed to:
Dick & Diane Baumbach (321) 544-3440 dickanddiane66@bellsouth.net
Congress Sparks Faith In U.S., Archbishop Dolan Says
WWME In The News
COLLEGE PARK—The Atlanta Eucharistic Congress draws 25,000 to 30,000 people together in the radiance of this miracle that Vatican II called the source and summit of the Catholic faith. The two-day event of processions, teachings, prayer, liturgy and community rejoicing around the Eucharist is such a witness that it has renewed faith in other parts of the country, said Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York.
Flash Mob Worldwide Marriage Encounter - Melbourne, Florida
WWME In The News
This video is couples who are striving for longest marriages. They have been married from 7 to 44 years. The couples come from all over the country and have been part of the Worldwide Marriage Encounter experience. The WWME weekend is also call A Weekend of Discovery A Lifetime of Love. These couples held signs to proclaim the length of their marriages and that they were happily married.
North American 2012 Convention
Sharing the Dream
Compartiendo El Sueño
Save the Date!
July 13-15 2012
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium
Announcing the 50 State Winners In Longest Married Couple Project
featured, WWME In The News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 7, 2011
50 STATE WINNERS IN LONGEST MARRIED COUPLE PROJECT ANNOUNCED BY WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER
San Bernardino, CA – The 50 state winners of the Longest Married Couple Project sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, the original faith based marriage enrichment program in this country, were announced today.
“The number of years many of these couples are married is just awesome,” explained Scott and Karen Seaborn, the United States Leadership Team for WWME. The Seaborns serve with Fr. Tom Griffith, SVD, as the U.S. Ecclesial Team.
“There were 312 nominations from all 50 states,” the Seaborns explained, adding, “There were three couples married 80 years or longer nominated, along with 100 couples married 70 to 79 years and 155 couples married 60 to 69 years. What a testament to having a commitment to a long marriage!”
The longest married couple in the United States, based on the nominations submitted, is Marshall and Winnie Kuykendall of Lordsburg, NM. They will celebrate their 82 anniversary on Feb. 14, 2011. The Seaborns will be traveling to the Kuykendalls hometown on Feb. 12th to honor them at a special ceremony.
Individual state winners will be recognized and honored by couples involved with Worldwide Marriage Encounter, all across the country, over the Valentine’s weekend.
The list of state winners and their hometowns are as follows:
Alaska – 68 years - Ernie & Ruth Brooking, Anchorage AK;
Alabama – 70 years - Mr. & Mrs. Gerald J. Guillot, Sr., Chickasaw AL;
Arkansas – 70 years - Grady & Pauline Starr, Beebe AR;
Arizona – 62 years - Vivian and Rodulfo Rodriguera, Phoenix AZ;
California – 74 years - GK and Mildred Patterson, Strathmore CA;
Colorado – 67 years - Jean & Harvey Rusk, Westcliffe CO;
Connecticut – 71 years - Herman & Lucille DiPalma, New London CT;
Delaware – 71 years - Clinton & Mary Searl, Wilmington DE;
Florida – 70 years - Noah & Vernell Lockley, Apalachicola FL;
Georgia – 64 years - Dick & Gerry Plummer, Augusta GA;
Hawaii – 80 years - Ivan & Doris Nishimura, Oahu HI;
Iowa – 70 years -Emil & Dorothy Votroubek, Cedar Rapids IA;
Idaho – 72 years - Cody & Eula Abbott, Lewiston ID;
Illinois – 71 years - Willis & Mary Hamilton, Elmhurst IL;
Indiana – 71 years -William & Rita Babbitt, Beech Grove IN;
Kansas – 72 years -Frank & Lorena Brunell, Aurora KS;
Kentucky – 75 years - Leon & Mae Carter, Mayfield KY;
Louisiana – 80 years -Ralph & Dorothy Richards, Slidell LA;
Massachusetts – 63 years - Stuart & Dorothy Fisk, Russell MA;
Maryland – 65 years - Michael & Clara O'Hopp, Silver Spring MD;
Maine – 67 years - George & Lucile Stetson, Pitston ME;
Michigan – 70 years - Norm and Beulah Warner, Pigeon MI;
Minnesota – 73 years - Anthony & Rose Ament, St. Cloud MN;
Missouri – 74 years -Vincent & Marie Sanfilippo, St Louis MO;
Mississippi – 70 years - Thomas & Helen Haffey, Lexington MS;
Montana – 73 years - Steve and Ethel Wright, Great Falls MT;
North Carolina – 72 years - Floyd & Edna Waldroup, Hot Springs NC;
North Dakota – 71 years - Tony & Frances Hopfaus, Bismark ND;
Nebraska – 69 years - Harold & Neva Sullivan, Cortland NE;
New Hampshire – 72 years - Richmond & Geraldine Trainor, Littleton NH;
New Jersey – 73 years - Jack & Antonia Di Rienzo, Florence NJ;
New Mexico – 76 years - Alex & Tessie Franzoy, Salem NM;
Nevada – 69 years - Harold & Edith Cohen, Henderson NV;
New York – 70 years - Richard and Eletha Pestke, Hilton NY;
Ohio – 73 years - Karl & Isabelle Schumm, Convoy OH;
Oklahoma – 69 years - Charles & Mildred McGregor, Edmond OK;
Oregon – 74 years -Kal & Edna Horine, Portland OR;
Pennsylvania – 75 years - Charles & Mary Ventrello, Erie PA;
Rhode Island – 67 years - Rosella & Donat Laliberte, Central Falls RI (deceased);
South Carolina – 67 years - Marie & Michael Munoz, Goose Creek SC;
South Dakota – 54 years -James & Eileen Weisbeck, Harreid SD;
Tennessee – 69 years - William & Pansy McNabb, Unicoi TN;
Texas – 77 years - Ross & Clarabelle Snodgrass, Kerrville TX;
Utah – 49 years - Al & Helen Averill, Ephram UT;
Virginia – 70 years - Harry & Frances Ketcham, Annandale VA;
Vermont – 62 years - Arthur & Theresa Audette, Williston VT;
Washington – 70 years -Donald & Eileen Walter, Vancouver WA;
Wisconsin – 70 years - Lawrence & Edna Bremer, Bloomer WI;
West Virginia – 80 years - Paul & Ellenor Whiteman, Bridgeport WV and
Wyoming – 74 years - Victor & Matilda Schaff, Thermopolis WY
Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 42 years and is considered the original faith-based marriage enrichment program. The programs are continually updated to keep abreast of changes in society, and WWME now offers evening and half-day programs that are presented at parishes and other church facilities. The weekend program, traditionally presented as an overnight experience at a hotel or retreat center, can also be presented at the parish where the couples return to their homes in the evenings. WWME has a presence in over 90 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world. In North America, the WWME programs are presented in English, Spanish, French, and Korean languages.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other. It offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today’s world. To learn more about the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends online, go to wwme.org , or you can call 1-800-795-LOVE (English) and 1-800-599-AMOR (Spanish), or contact the WWME Office at (909) 863-9963.
Media inquires should be directed to:
Dick & Diane Baumbach (321) 544-3440 dickanddiane66@bellsouth.net
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