Posted July 23, 2025
The below story was originally published by the Diocese of Cleveland.
Three dozen men, along with family, friends and other supporters, gathered one recent Saturday morning at T3 Performance in Avon for the inaugural Carpenter’s Call.
The event, which combined fitness and faith, benefited St. Elizabeth Center in Lorain, a ministry of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland. Raven Lugo, center director, said it is the only low-barrier men’s shelter in Lorain County. Lugo accepted a donation of $3,210 that will be used to assist shelter guests.
In addition to providing shelter for an average of 50 men overnight, St. Elizabeth Center has a hot meal program, food pantry and access to other community resources, Lugo said.
“This donation means one more person served, one more person who isn’t going to go hungry, one more person who will have a warm, safe place to sleep,” she added.
Crew Spence, who developed the idea for the event, described how it took shape.
“Carpenter’s Call came about in a conversation I was having with a colleague,” Spence explained. He serves as evangelization director at St. Joseph Parish in Avon Lake, where he also is a parishioner. His friend wanted to get back into shape, but noted he did that more effectively when he had a goal.
“I suggested we do some kind of a race and we could train together,” said Spence. However, they weren’t finding any suitable events nearby within the timeframe they wanted. Spence said the topic came up again in a conversation with Father Ron Wearsch, St. Joseph pastor, and he suggested they create an event. “He said we should do it with a bunch of guys and make it our own race, so we did,” Spence added.
As the idea gelled, it became a series of fitness challenges performed by teams that also would be a fundraiser for St. Elizabeth Center.
Spence spoke with Mike D’Andrea, a former classmate at St. Joseph and Avon Lake High School and a fellow parishioner. D’Andrea was a star inside linebacker for the Shoremen football team who was recruited by The Ohio State University. He played football for the Buckeyes until sidelined by knee injuries. Now a trainer, D’Andrea owns T3 Performance and donated the facility for the Carpenter’s Call, which took place on June 28.
“I’ve been a parishioner at St. Joseph my entire life (outside of college). When I came back, I really got connected with Father Ron (Wearsch),” D’Andrea said, adding Father Wearsch “has done an amazing job building the culture around St. Joe’s. So when Crew (Spence) and Father approached me with this, it was a no-brainer. I mean, it’s fitness, it’s faith, it’s a great way to build culture not only at St. Joe’s, but at other parishes on the west side.”
D'Andrea said the fundraising component fit seamlessly with the idea. “It’s pretty simple. If you read the Bible and live a Catholic life, you have to take care of people who need help.”
He commended Father Wearsch and Spence, as well as others involved in the first Carpenter’s Call for creating and producing a successful event that raised money for those in need at St. Elizabeth Center. Some of the T3 staff, including Frank Ruki, one of the coaches, helped organize the event along with Spence and Father Wearsch.
The call went out a few months ago for teams to register. Spence said they ended up with 12 teams of three participants representing a variety of ages. Each team also had its own referee who tracked results for the various challenges. Many participants also brought family and friends to cheer them on. One team included a diocesan seminarian (Jake Cermak) and a newly ordained priest (Father Chris Cotone, who was ordained in May). D’Andrea competed, as did Spence.
“The fact that it’s a team event makes it interesting because it’s not a foregone conclusion that the youngest, fittest guys are going to win,” Spence said. Some used the strategy of having stronger members anchor certain events.
“The team could decide someone who’s faster could take on the lion’s share of the running, while another member who’s big and strong could carry a teammate in the fireman’s carry. We really wanted the teams to bond together and learn more about each other so they could strategize and have a competitive edge,” he added.
Prior to the event, there were a few training sessions with T3 staff to help the teams get ready for the big day. “We’re here to challenge ourselves, to get more fit and to have some fun – not to get hurt,” Spence said. But his competitive spirit was strong as he expressed a desire to find a way to defeat his friend D’Andrea – or to minimize a potential loss.
“The number one thing going through my mind is how to gracefully lose to Mike D’Andrea, who is a superhuman athlete,” Spence quipped. “I ‘unintentionally’ stacked a team because I want to lose by as little as I can.” But, he admitted that at the end of the day, “It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about camaraderie. There’s no trophy in this and that’s intentional. When a team finishes first, they come around and start cheering on the other teams. It’s much more about the brotherhood aspect.”
Carpenter’s Call consisted of a two-mile run, pull-ups on a bar, pushups, sit-ups, a fireman’s (partner) carry or wheelbarrow relay and a dash to end the event. Spence described the fireman’s carry as a rescue carry used by firefighters and military personnel. “It’s almost like what you would see in a picture of Jesus carrying a lamb on his shoulders,” he said.
Among the spectators were a few men from St. Elizabeth Center who cheered on the teams and expressed their gratitude. Haven Ohly, Catholic Charities’ Lorain County clinical director, attended some of the training sessions. “The men are so excited about this event,” he said, noting some planned to attend.
The event – and training sessions – began and ended with prayer. Some men also shared their faith journeys as they prepared for the challenges. “The whole reason we’re being brought together is our faith … and then the warmups are pretty important, too,” Spence said.
Now that the first event is history, Spence said he hopes the participating men got more than just a workout and a good time. “I hope the friendships will last beyond Carpenter’s Call as a network of people who are working to spread their faith and to help their communities. There’s a narrative I hear sometimes about men being disengaged in our society, but I think that men still have a lot they can offer. They’re looking for opportunities and this is just one of many,” he said. “I hope that this will continue and that they will feel a sense of pride in not only what they’ve done together, but empowerment to continue to do good things beyond Carpenter’s Call.”
Part of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
