Our Non-Profit Excellence Award

We’ve received the Excellence in Innovation Award from the Non-Profit Center of Milwaukee!

On Thursday December 6th, St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care was presented with the Non Profit Spirit of Excellence Award, “Excellence in Innovation.” The award recognizes a non-profit that is a leader in management and operational

strategies and also has innovative applications of best practices or new methods in a specific area as well as operating at a level of overall excellence.

St. Ann Center embodies these qualities. There are daily accomplishments at St. Ann Center with the activities revolving around the intergenerational day care program. They include child day services from six weeks to five years of age, after school care, summer camp and our “Buddy Program,” in which at risk youth are paired with adults of different ability levels. Adult overnight respite care, outpatient rehabilitation of all levels is available. Clients participate in a myriad of art projects, cultural activities and special events. All age levels enjoy dancing together at Friday Sing-A-Longs with Danny and recently were delighted with a performance by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

For the community, St. Ann Center provides various educational and enrichment

programs. One of the most popular courses is the Benevolent Touch Therapy

Education, teaching participants how to give gentle and calming touches to

reassure agitated clients. Ongoing support groups for caregivers and persons with

Parkinson’s are provided monthly, as well as various counseling services to help

work through difficult emotions felt in situation of loss and care giving.

St. Ann Center’s innovation lies at the heart of our mission: to provide community-

based health and educational services for children and frail adults and to serve as

a resource for caregivers. Our intergenerational services have become a model and

inspiration for others locally, nationally and internationally. Visitors have come to

the Center from the United States and other countries including Germany, Ireland,

Israel and Japan to view a working model of intergenerational care. After Company

President Sr. Edna Lonergan visited Cameroon, Africa a similar program was

established there. The Center has received local, national and international awards.

St. Ann Center is truly honored to be a recipient of this award. We look to continue

our innovative services by establishing a new intergenerational program in

Milwaukee’s near north side. The impact of replicating this program would be felt

in many ways – new employment would be provided in an area of great need and

caregivers would be able to remain employed while their young and elderly loved

ones are well cared for. We would like to thank all those who have made everything

St. Ann Center does possible, and hope for your continued presence and support as

we grow to serve more people in need.

Gratitude

As Thanksgiving approaches we would like to share a reflection on gratitude with you.

GRATITUDE

If you look at a sunset, you might only see the disappearance of daylight.

If you look beneath, you may see darkness opening the splendor of stars.

If you look at illness and disease, you might see only physical diminishment.

If you look beneath, you may see it as a teacher bringing you vital wisdom.

If you look at a broken relationship, you might see only a harsh ending.

If you look beneath, you may see the courageous seeds of new growth.

If you look at lost dreams, you might see only disappointment and doubt.

If you look beneath, you may see that love lives on forever in the heart.

If you look at the death of a loved one, you might see only pervasive sorrow.

If you look beneath, you may see that love lives forever in the heart.

If you look at the planet’s pain and creature’s woe, you might only see despair.

If you look beneath, you may see hope woven in the compassionate care of many.

If you look at yourself, you might see only tarnished unfinishedness.

If you look beneath, you may see your basic goodness shining there.

If you look for the divine being, you might see mostly unresolved questions.

If you look beneath, you may be astounded at the availability of divine love.

Gratitude means taking time to look beneath out external lives for the unwavering love, the ceaseless peace, and the enduring strength that lies in the deep waters of our sole. The more we trust the “unknowable depths” of our existence, the more the power of gratitude becomes a song we daily sing. With what do you struggle today? What might lie beneath that struggle for which you can give thanks to our life-giving and loving God? – Author Unknown

On behalf of our entire staff and wonderful clients St. Ann Center would like to wish everyone a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo Source: Google Images and Cathy Feldkamp

Body Flex at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care

Monday, October 29th was a blast in Shepherd House - our Alzheimer's program. Clients had fun exercising in wheelchairs or no wheelchairs. They were having fun and being healthy too! Check out the YouTube video of the class in action HERE

Body Flex instructor Joyce Davis starts the class off with arm exercises.

Clients enjoy working out to the fun sounds of Classic Oldies Rock.

20 minutes into class and everybody is having fun getting into shape!

Everybody's a winner!

On Saturday, October 27, 2012, St. Ann Center will hold the drawing for our $250,000 raffle and announce the winners. However, even before that happens, we would like to extend a warm, heartfelt thanks to all of the participants who have helped support St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care by purchasing raffle tickets. You are all active participants in supporting the clients that come to St. Ann Center to receive our love and care each and every day.

How? The raffle helps to subsidize the care of our clients (2/3’s of whom are already receiving subsidy because they can’t afford the full cost of their care). The Adopt-a-Life fund is a way that we raise funds to cover the cost of client’s care here, and fundraisers like the raffle are essential for continuing the mission of St. Ann Center. Together, we at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, and you our fellow members of the community, are creating a caring and compassionate environment of peace for all who enter through our doors.

The raffle drawing will be held on Saturday, October 27, at 2 p.m. in the Atrium at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care.

St. Ann Center's card sharks...

St Ann Center has its own cards sharks, in the ebb and flow of winners and losers in a spirited game of Crazy Eight. Actually, everyone’s a winner, guessing by the sound of “hoops and hollers” as the game plays along.

An "ordinary" day for artists!

Our staff art teacher Yolanda set the tables with a feast of brushes, paint, sea shells and paper plates.

And miniature light houses were in place when then the “guests” arrived to take part in the artistic feast.

With quiet concentration the plain lighthouses came alive with color, each one a unique creation.

Just another “ordinary” day at St. Ann Center!

 

Peace and all good!

We’re celebrating the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Why call it a “feast” you might ask? It’s from the Latin “festa” which means celebration. We celebrate the words and example of our friend, Francis, who was a walking gospel of his time, and hope we can walk the talk as he did. So happy feast day all you lovers of creatures great and small, human and animal, and that goes for rocks, water and air too!