An Evening of Celebration
How wonderful it was to welcome volunteers to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and join together to celebrate the good works they have done! The sense of community and connection was palpable.
Covid has derailed our lives in so many ways, but for me, one silver lining has been a new appreciation for the opportunity to simply be together. I so often took it for granted before, but as I looked around the room, my heart swelled with gratitude. Lingering over dinner, getting to know one another better, and sharing stories are perhaps the best kinds of gifts we can receive.
Speaking of appreciation, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Chuck and Chris Schnell who picked up, helped set up and clean up dinner. Maddie and John Sumnar helped welcome volunteers as well as clean up. I’m grateful for their help.
I’m grateful also for Sister Kim Dalgarn, SNDdeN, Archivist, who was on-hand to walk volunteers through Heritage Hall and our Museum, sharing fascinating stories about our Sisters dating back to 1840 when they arrived in the US to do what Saint Julie Billiart said was the most important work on earth. They came to teach.
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Dorie, Emmie, and Liddy Akers with Sister Kim Dalgarn |
L to R: Chuck Schnell, Sister Jo Depweg, SNDdeN, Chris Schnell, and |
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Maddie and John Sumnar |
Opening Prayer with Sister Carol Wetli, SNDdeN |
We warmly welcome you to join us for our next Live The Good Opportunity on Saturday, September 5 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. We’ll be here on the grounds of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur with our friends from 1N5, a non-profit dedicated to preventing suicide by erasing the stigma of mental illness and promoting optimal mental health. We’ll be assembling care packages for teachers returning to school and painting rocks with inspiring messages that will be taken to events involving children. There is something for volunteers of all ages and abilities to do. We hope to see you there!
Be well. Do good.
Holly Schlaack
Director of Volunteer Engagement