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! 

Blessed by their daily presence...

St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care is one of eleven Corporate Ministries sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi (OSF). OSF corporate ministries currently serve the underserved in communities in four states, providing critical services to those living with special needs, especially those who are young, frail, or challenged with disabilities.

To learn more about OSF's Corporate Ministries, go to http://www.lakeosfs.org/.

Even though each ministry is separately incorporated, all eleven corporate ministries sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi are united by the Franciscan values: Creating a caring community, Sharing compassion for others, Reverence for creation, and Peacemaking.

We will share more about these values in future blogs, but suffice it to say here that these values reflect our commitment to live and create community together through being with those in need.

So we here, at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, are not only employees and volunteers of St. Ann Center – we are also responsible for continuing the ministry originally founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi and carrying out their mission and values. 

As an OSF corporate ministry, St. Ann Center is very blessed by the daily presence of many Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi who work and volunteer daily at the center. Our upcoming Fall Seasons of Life newsletter features profiles on the many Sisters that give their time and positivity to promote peace, justice, and the fulfillment of the mission and purpose of St. Ann Center.

Together, all of us at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care are responsible for creating a caring community that bridges the age gap and provides innovative programs to those in need and who might otherwise not receive our love and care.

3rd Annual Gwen T. Jackson Awards

On Thursday, August 16, 2012, the St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care's Buddy Program and the Milwaukee County Department on Aging held the 3rd Annual Gwen T. Jackson Awards hosted by Clinton & Bernice Rose Center. The Awards are named after Gwen T. Jackson - a living legend in the Milwaukee Community who is known for being a leading advocate for youth and the poor.

The Gwen T. Jackson Awards honored twenty-two area youth who volunteered at seven adult senior centers throughout the city during the summer. Among the goals of the Buddy Program is the intent to bridge the gap between generations through intergenerational activities and service projects. Youth also took part in self-improvement workshops such as job training, budget training, and worked on their social skills. The program is the vision of Sr. Edna Lonergan and is run by Rev. Tony Phillips of Blessed Deliverance M.B.C.  Cardinal Stritch University's student intern, Fiona Frimpong of Ghana, Africa also assisted.

The Benevolent Touch of St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care

    At St. Ann Center one of our goals is to provide a benevolent touch for our clients. All of us here who come into daily contact with the clients and their families that we serve are trained in Benevolent Touch – a modified form of massage therapy that applies reassuring hands to anxious, fearful clients who may feel isolated.  Many clients who come to the Center live alone or in group homes and are “touch deprived.”  Often, a gentle hand on the head, shoulders, arms or hands can have a soothing, calming effect when needed to everyone who enters through the front doors. That is why all of us - from our founder Sr. Edna, to the caregivers and the administrative staff - are trained to convey love, trust, affection and warmth that will help everyone here feel that they are in a safe and loving place.

    Early in the history of St. Ann Center, Sr. Edna reflected, “Why not offer a course that promotes the kindness and compassion that this program offers to other caregivers in the community?”

    As a result, Benevolent Touch has been a unique course offered here that is taught by Sandy Anderson, one our professional massage therapists at the Center. However, the course is not offered just for professional caregivers and people in the community. It is also available, free of charge, to everyone working at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care. It is one of the many ways that our programs and services are making a positive impact in the lives of the challenged and frail adults of our community.

Upcoming Benevolent Touch Workshop Dates:

♦ Thursday, September 27, 2012
♦ 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
♦ $60 (includes a Benevolent Touch manual)

Register online at:  https://www.stanncenter.org/BenevolentTouch