DAPHNE, Ala. — Sr. Maureen Nolan — the former principal of 22 years who left after last school year — gave CKCS many gifts during her tenure and she has left the school with one more: the new Pumpkin Festival chairperson!

Marlene Rathle, a mother of three and a relative newcomer to Christ the King is the newly elected PTO second vice president. In that capacity she will also serve as the chairperson for the Pumpkin Festival for the next two years.

For nine years, Marlene and her family were members of St. Mary’s parish in Mobile. Her daughter, Alex, is a freshman at Daphne High School, and her twin boys, Michael and Grainger, attended school at St. Mary’s. A year and a half ago, she and her husband, Mike, moved their family to the Eastern Shore and Christ the King.

Nolan told Marlene that until she accepted the move to this side of the bay, her children would have a hard time adjusting here as well. She persuaded Marlene to volunteer and get involved. So she began getting calls from several committee chairs to volunteer at the school — “and the next thing I knew I was asked to run for the PTO office of second vice president, the Pumpkin Festival chair!” she said.

“Sr. Maureen was wonderful,” Marlene said. “She was warm and welcoming, and really concerned about the boys and Alex, who were beginning third and eighth grade, respectively. She went out of her way to make sure the children were ok.” Marlene has been very pleased with CKCS and says it is a great school. And her children have adapted really well to their new home and school.

Even though she is new to CKCS, Marlene is not new to organizing fundraising events. She has a great deal of background with volunteer work. For three years, she worked for the American Cancer Society in the Mobile office. She was hired as a development representative and was promoted to associate executive director after two years. Her job responsibilities included working with volunteers to organize five of the nine Relays for Life held annually by the society. She was also responsible for the annual Chili Cook Off in downtown Mobile. But all the credit for the success of these events, Marlene says, belongs with the volunteers who worked hard for a great cause.

She also helped to coordinate events at the Little Sisters of the Poor annual lawn party for two years. But she says that was pretty easy.

“The sisters have that lawn party down to a science,” says Marlene.

Raising money for a charity can be difficult. “During event times at the (society), I would work 60 to 70 hours a week,” says Marlene. “When you are working with volunteers you have to schedule meetings when the volunteers are available. This usually means many night time meetings, since most volunteers have full-time jobs during the day.”

Prior to working for the society, Marlene was employed in pharmaceutical sales, but the job involved a lot of travel. After the birth of her boys she did not want to be away from home. She saw an ad for the society and knew she was up to the task.

Marlene has found a calling in volunteer work. “My love is working with people,” she said.

She has a small, decorative plaque that states one of her favorite quotes by Margaret Meade: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful people can make a difference; in fact it is the only thing that ever has.” Marlene says, “This plaque hung on the wall in my office at ACS and helped me when I was feeling a little discouraged and now hangs in my kitchen at home.”

Marlene and the PTO want to relay to the community just how important the Pumpkin Festival is to our school.

The festival is the school’s biggest fundraiser and the money generated from this one day helps fund a number of projects every year at Christ the King. And just as important is the opportunity for the school and parish families and the entire community to enjoy food, fellowship and fun.

“I am excited about it,” says Marlene. “I am a little apprehensive because I am new to the school, but it will help me to meet families. I’m just praying for good weather – that is something I can’t control!”