DaytonDailyNews.com

Her name was Rebecca, and she waited patiently in the lobby of St. Vincent de Paul Hotel on Apple Street.

It's called a hotel. Reservations are required. Those who stay are called guests, and meals are complimentary — 600 meals a day, all told.

But this is a hotel of last resort, a temporary shelter for the homeless. Many are working, saving up for a deposit and first month's rent. Many are between jobs, but looking. Many are families. A school bus stops there regularly.

Rebecca came in one afternoon. She was hungry. Lunch time had passed.

But you don't get into this line of work to turn people away, and, when resources permit, staff members have been known to drop what they're doing, head to the kitchen and assemble a brown-bag lunch to ensure that a hungry person does not go without food.

As Rebecca waited, other people entered and exited the lobby. "Hi, how are you?" they'd ask. Rebecca was always quick to answer: "I'm blessed."

That wasn't the answer that came to my mind when I saw her. "I'm hungry," maybe, or "I'm tired." "I'm scared." "I'm lonely." "I'm worried." "I'm sick."

But "blessed?"

We often equate blessings with possessions: a house, a car, a full refrigerator. Look a little deeper, and we see them as relationships: family and friends. Good health is always a blessing.

Sitting alone in a homeless shelter doesn't seem like much of a blessing.

I wish I had asked her to explain. Instead, I stood there — with my house, my car, my refrigerator, my family, my friends and my health — and found myself wanting a little bit of what she had.

I got to thinking back to my Sunday school days, when we memorized the Beatitudes.

"Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."

That doesn't leave the rest of us out in the eternal cold. There's another one that says, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

You can show a little mercy on Sept. 27, when a walkathon will benefit the homeless men, women and families served by St. Vincent de Paul in Dayton. More information about registration, volunteering or making a donation is available at www.stvincentdayton.org.

All walkers will be treated to a bag lunch — just like the one Rebecca felt so blessed to receive.

Also available for sale will be a handy little cookbook, "Hometown Recipes," compiled by the parishes that serve St. Vincent. Nothing fancy here — just the kind of short, simple recipes that busy weekday cooks need.

Sausage and Potatoes au Gratin isn't among the recipes in the cookbook, but it's a favorite among guests at St. Vincent. A parish more than an hour's drive from Dayton prepares and delivers these casseroles to the hotel. This one feeds a crowd, but you can easily cut it in half, or freeze half for later.

SAUSAGE AND POTATOES AU GRATIN

2 pounds pork sausage, cooked and drained

2 pounds frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 cups cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup butter, plus a tablespoon or so to butter the pan

11/2 cups corn flakes, crushed

Butter casserole pan well. Mix all other ingredients except 1/4 cup butter and crushed flakes. Combine those and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Contact this writer at carol.rini@gmail.com.

How to go

What: Friends of the Poor Walk

When: 10 a.m. Sept. 27; registration starts at 9 a.m.

Where: The 2.5-mile walk starts at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, 945 S. Edwin C. Moses Blvd., continues to the hotel at 120 W. Apple St. and back.

What else: There is no fee to register, and walkers will receive a T-shirt. Entertainment will be provided and refreshments will be served, including a bag lunch.

To register: Forms are available at www.stvincentdayton.org; or call (937) 222-7349, ext. 419. Donations may be made online.