YMCA announces Prayer Breakfast info

VW independent/submitted information

The YMCA of Van Wert County will be hosting its annual Good Friday Prayer Breakfast at 7 a.m. Friday, April 19, at Hickory Sticks Golf Club. 

This year’s featured speakers are Carole Motycka and Jason Stechschulte. 

Motycka is a native of Van Wert and founder of {bloom.}.  Motycka attended Van Wert High School and The Ohio State University. In April 2016, she was diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer. After two years of treatment on April 23, 2018, Motycka received a living donor liver transplant from Stechschulte, who attends the same church. 

Motycka is an active volunteer in the Van Wert community and a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Van Wert. Currently, she speaks publicly to share light and hope to those facing adversities in their lives. She was named by The National Sisterhood Conference as the 2018 HonorHER recipient and was also named a 2018 Van Wert County “Woman of Achievement” by the Van Wert County YWCA for her advocacy for those battling cancer and other adversities.  

Motycka advocates for advancements in colon cancer research, working with the Colon Cancer Alliance. In 2018 she was named as a Colon Cancer Coalition “National Faces of Blue” recipient. Recently, she attended Call on Congress and spoke publicly to state senators and representatives in Washington, D.C., advocating for changes in current medical barriers facing cancer patients.  

Motycka’s story has been featured on The Cleveland Clinic Podcast: “Overcomer” and the “We Have Cancer Show” to raise awareness for treatment of colon cancer. The Cleveland Clinic news media, along with Motycka and Stechschulte, produced a segment on living donor transplants that has aired nationally promoting living donor awareness.  

Motycka and her husband, Trent, reside in Van Wert and have four sons. They enjoy traveling and hiking and spending time at the lake together.  

Stechschulte is a Putnam County native who resides in Fort Jennings with his wife, Stephanie, and their two children. He is employed by Central Mutual Insurance in the IT department. He attended Fort Jennings High School and The University of Northwest Ohio. 

Stechschulte is active at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, where he currently serves on the Church Council and teaches 6-7 grade confirmation classes. He is a licensed pilot and is president of EAA Chapter 636. He enjoys flying his plane, along with his wife, who is also a licensed pilot, and their children. Stechschulte is currently building his own airplane.

All are welcome to attend the Prayer Breakfast. Tickets can be purchased at the YMCA of Van Wert County for $10 each. 

Information about this and any other programs available through the Van Wert YMCA can be found by calling 419.238.0443 or visiting www.vwymca.org.