SJA staffers had noticed mallard ducks prancing around outside the Parish Center. A little strange. Then on May 2, while trimming shrubs near the main entrance and before a Pastoral Council meeting, Jerry Hartlaub uncovered a duck nest with 11 eggs. With the shrub cut away exposing the nest, low 40’s temperature predicted, the nest many blocks from water, and mamma duck not seen for awhile, it was time to act.

With the help of Richard Penland (Maintenance), Becky Grover (Evening Receptionist), and Ellen Velasco-Thompson (Pastoral Council member), we boxed-up 9 eggs (2 were crushed) to provide the ultimate in SJA hospitality – giving the baby ducks a chance for survival.

Here’s the great news!! Born on May 11-12 in isolation (avoiding human imprinting), 4 ducks hatched, Huey, Duey, Luey and Jim (5 eggs were not viable). On May 13th, Huey, Duey, Luey and Jim were transported to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Roseville to grow up as candidates to return to the wild. This reporter was not able to locate and interview mamma duck, but we can be sure she is happy with the outcome.

Kudos to Katie Thompson (biology major) for doing research, designing a home-made incubator, and transporting the ducklings. More kudos to Katie, Brad and Dave Thompson as egg turners (eggs turned every eight hours). And, of course, Ellen for initiating the ultimate in SJA hospitality. I can hear the applause now coming from duck heaven!!!

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Jerry Hartlaub commutes from New Brighton with his wife, Trish, to be refreshed and challenged at the "SJA spiritual oasis". He's a Sunday mass slide jockey and "worker bee" at many SJA events. For fun he has written a bunch of poetry, printed his first book, and invented lots of stuff in a 30-year bioengineering career. These days he teaches cardiac physiology (but he's mostly retired), serves on non-profit boards, does Junior Achievement gigs and plays softball. But most rewarding is providing child-care for two of the world's smartest, cutest grandchildren.