What would St. Valentine’s Day in Milwaukee be without the special baskets prepared by several SSSF associates? Associates Mary and Dale Foskett, Mary Schweitzer, Anita Bodamer and their families and friends collected items and assembled 200 baskets. Wrapped in colorful cellophane and ribbon, the baskets included items such as “fairy food” chocolates and small stuffed animals. For fifteen years the group has made baskets to benefit the School Sisters of St. Francis. As they do each year, they first took the Valentine’s baskets to the rotunda of Milwaukee’s City Hall and sold 185 baskets in one day. Next, they set up a table in the lobby of St. Joseph Center and sold the remainder of the baskets along with other items such as jewelry. The result of their efforts was a donation of $1,800 to the School Sisters of St. Francis Development Office. The money raised will be used to help meet various community needs.
Associates Visit St. Joseph Convent in Campbellsport
An associate visits with Sister Dorothy Wood at St. Joseph Convent in Campbellsport
On September 19, 20 associates and several contact sisters from Wisconsin and Illinois made the annual trip to St. Joseph Convent in Campbellsport for a day of visiting, prayer, and learning. It was a day full of energy and spirit! The group joined the resident sisters for lunch, took tours of the campus, visited friends and met new people. Sister Leona Truchan gave a presentation about care of the Earth, sketching the historical roots of today’s concern for the environment and outlining actions taken by the sisters to address the issue. A prayer service was held in which all the associates renewed their commitments and the sisters affirmed them. The day closed with sisters and guests enjoying the traditional root beer float social. The sisters were happy to see so many associates (and a few prospective associates) gathered in one place to share the day with them, and the associates enjoyed seeing the sisters they knew and meeting so many others for the first time. That this took place at such an important location in the community’s history – a place long known as a powerhouse of prayer – made it all the more meaningful.
Sarah Stefanko Hired as Assistant Director
Associate Sarah Stefanko has been hired as assistant director of Associate Relationship. Sarah has been connected with the School Sisters of St. Francis in many ways for the past 10 years and is in her second year as an associate. She is excited about her new position and brings energy and future thinking to the ministry. “Associate Relationship is something I’m passionate about, and it’s great to have this opportunity to connect with so many of our associates – most of whom I’m meeting for the first time,” Sarah stated. Sister Grace will continue in the position of director of Associate Relationship.
