The Story of Cumbre Family Missions
Meet the Looby Family
Pat and Shannon Looby met at a Catholic summer camp in Saranac Lake, NY when they were 12 years old, and reconnected as staff members at the same camp while in college (Pat graduated from Wadhams Hall Seminary College and Shannon from Colgate University.) In the 28 years they’ve been married, in addition to raising 6 kids, Pat and Shannon have lived a life of ministry. What started with youth and music ministry in the Diocese of Albany and the Diocese of Ogdensburg, NY, then transitioned into Catholic education in the Diocese of Dallas, TX and the Diocese of Arlington, VA. Answering an identified need for a rigorous classical curriculum Catholic high school in the Fredericksburg VA area, Pat co-founded The Summit Academy in 2016. What started with 19 students in 9th and 10th grades has grown to a 6-12 middle and upper school program with over 115 students.
1994
2023
Looking for a change and a new challenge in 2023, and with a passion for education and a heart for service, the Loobys began to discern how they could make more of a global impact beyond their immediate community. Volunteering abroad had always been on their hearts, but just was never feasible in their early marriage with 6 small children. However, as their kids grew (1 married and 2 more in college), they were at a different stage in life and ready to embrace a new challenge with their remaining children still at home, feeling that the whole family would benefit from and contribute to a missionary experience. And they did!
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After spending a year and a half living in Honduras as volunteers, they are now back in the U.S. and Pat is the Director of Youth Ministry and Campus Ministry for the Diocese of Ogdensburg, NY. Shannon is still running Cumbre Family Missions and raising funds to continue to support the people and programs in Honduras, with periodic trips to manage and administer those projects on the ground there.
Although the original purpose for incorporating Cumbre Family Missions as a charity was to fund their family’s volunteer mission work, the organization has evolved and donations now directly support the people and programs they've worked with on the ground in Honduras.
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Thank you SO much for your ongoing support!!
