Katie Koziolek, of St. Casimir’s Parish in Wells, traveled to Washington D.C. Feb. 10-13 to attend the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering representing Winona Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

The event was sponsored by U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services. The conference featured multilingual and multicultural masses Feb. 10 and Ash Wednesday. There was planning and training for lobbying with congressmen about Catholic church social justice concerns. Primarily the USCCB and Catholic Relief Services recommended that issues for budget cuts that would affect the poor and vulnerable, immigration reform and food relief for Palestinians should be discussed. Many other topics of social justice were covered in sessions including the farm bill, climate change, environment and stewardship responsibilities. On Feb. 12, state delegations went to Capitol Hill to advocate with congressional staff regarding these topics. Koziolek visited the office staff of U.S. Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar and 1st District U.S. House Rep. Tim Walz and U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson.

The Minnesota Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, or MAFCS awarded Koziolek, of the Hartland and Freeborn area, with the 2012 Outstanding Service Award at its annual conference Feb. 8 and 9 in Bloomington. Koziolek was honored for her years of service to the association as a committee member for the annual conference six times — twice as vice-president for membership, twice as nominating committee, once as chairwoman, president-elect and president of MAFCS and for serving on the advisory board twice. She also donates items for silent auctions and will participate for the second time for the association’s gala fundraiser by decorating a table. In 2012 the table setting was featured on the MAFCS website. She uses her family and consumer sciences and home economics background to help with county fair judging and project and judges’ training for southeast Minnesota 4-H.