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St. Ann Center’s quarterly newsletter, Season’s of Life

July-September 2017 Newsletter Feature Story

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More than Meets the Eye

If you ask John Krall how he got so good at basketball, mini golf and bowling, he’ll gladly share his secret. “The trick,” he says with a smile, “is listening.”

A client at the Stein Campus, John has coped with dual disabilities since birth—cerebral palsy and blindness. Upbeat and engaging, he’s an obvious people person. “When we play a game that requires me to hit a target, the staff tells me where to aim,” he explains. “It’s a group effort.”

John, 54, came to St. Ann Center a year ago after 30 years of working with a vocational training program. “I enjoy the wide range of people here—from seniors to the little ones,” he says, adding he loves the sound of children having fun. He takes his role as their adult friend seriously. “When the kids join us for activities, they learn not to be afraid,” he says. “They come to understand that people who use wheelchairs are basically not that different from them.”

Challenging limitations has become a way of life for John. He participates in as many St. Ann Center programs as possible, from group games to drawing and sewing. An avid music fan, he plays hand bells and sings in the center’s choir. And if you sit in on Trivia Day, you’ll find him acing most every music-related question.

“The staff helps me when I need it, and they respect what I’m able to do on my own. Here, I’m a human being—not a disability. I feel like I can conquer just about anything.”– John Krall

Not one to stay in one place for long, John especially appreciates activities that involve exercise. “Having cerebral palsy, I need to keep moving as much as I can,” he says. Sessions with a St. Ann Center massage therapist and regular whirlpool baths help keep his tight muscles relaxed. John also finds spiritual support is readily available. “I go to the daily prayer service,” he says. “It’s nice to have a chance to be quiet and meditate in the middle of a busy morning.”

Known around St. Ann Center for his positive attitude, John is a one-man welcoming committee for new clients. “I just want to be as friendly to them as people have been to me,” he says.

Read all the stories of our joyful intergenerational community in the July-September Issue of Seasons of Life.

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April-June 2017 Newsletter Feature

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Piecing Life Together

Karl Davis loves a good routine. When he arrives at St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus, he carefully unpacks the items he laid out the night before—his cell phone, tablet and charger, gum, pocket tool kit and favorite Green Bay Packer wallet. “That way, I’m not forgetting anything,” he explains. “It’s how I compensate.”

His easy laugh and ready smile hide the challenges Karl, 58, has faced since a car accident left him disabled and in chronic pain 25 years ago. Things became even more complicated three years ago, when he began forgetting simple things, like why he walked into a room, a conversation he had an hour ago or his address. A hospital evaluation determined he had a form of dementia resulting in short-term memory loss. “They told us he’d need 24-hour care,” says Karl’s wife, Sharon, who works full time. “We were totally unprepared.”

After visiting several adult day facilities, the Davises found St. Ann Center. “When we walked in the door, people immediately came up to greet us,” Karl says, remembering his surprise at the friendly, energetic environment. “Within a week, I felt comfortable…and I knew things were going to be okay.” Sharon had the same reaction. “Now I can go to work and relax, knowing Karl is someplace he enjoys and where he feels fulfilled. He’s getting a good meal, a chance to socialize, and structure”—all things that combat his memory loss.

A client in the Akachi (“hand of God”) unit, Karl is a natural-born activity director—organizing card games, finding partners for pool and striking up conversations with the teenagers who regularly volunteer at the center. Sharon has seen a big change in her husband, too. “He’s become so engaged, he’s taking steps toward going back to work,” she says. Karl now divides his weekdays between St. Ann Center and the Milwaukee Center for Independence, where he’s involved in a job readiness program.

Expanding his routine hasn’t always been easy, Karl admits, but it’s led to some exciting new opportunities. “My long-term goal is to get the training I need to work at St. Ann Center,” he says. “I’ve never found a place that’s been as welcoming and caring. I’d like to be a part of that.”

Check out all the inspiring stories in our newsletter.

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January-March 2017 Newsletter Feature Story

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The Soul of a Poet

If you ask Marguerite how she’s doing, she’ll smile and tell you, “I’m as fine as summer wine.” Just the kind of answer you’d expect from St. Ann Center’s poet laureate.

“She’s a natural storyteller,” says Carol McQuay, caregiver to her 89-year-old mother who is a client at the Stein Campus. “Poetry just makes her light up.”

Raised on the rural outskirts of Mobile, Alabama, Marguerite was introduced to poetry as a girl by her local librarian. She carried a fascination for words to Stillman College, where she earned a teaching degree, and later to Purdue University, where she studied neonatal nursing. “I so loved teaching little ones and caring for those tiny babies,” Marguerite remembers. “Children are my calling.”

Life changed for Marguerite 12 years ago, when a series of strokes weakened her body and memory — but not her spirit. She moved in with her daughter, Carol, who recalls that Marguerite “was still fiercely independent,” but couldn’t take care of herself. A counselor suggested Marguerite would benefit from days at St. Ann Center. “When Mom saw the children…well, she was in love. I don’t know what she’d do without them.”

The staff in Shepherd House, the center’s Alzheimer’s and dementia care unit, was quick to pick up on Marguerite’s way with words. “One day, she came home with a notebook they’d made for her, filled with poems by Robert Frost and Maya Angelou,” Carol says. Before long, Marguerite began doing poetry readings for St. Ann Center’s adults and childcare youngsters.

“I ask the children what a poem means to them. Then, I tell them they can turn words into a poem all their own” Marguerite says, “And my, they are so smart.”

Read all the stories of our joyful intergenerational community and find your 2017 full-year calendar in the January-March Issue of Seasons of Life.

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North Side Business Incubator Set for Dec. 8

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Business hopefuls are invited to participate in a free business incubator set for Thursday, Dec. 8, 1 to 4 p.m. at St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus, 2450 W. North Avenue. Thanks to the success of the first incubator, held this past June, the event has expanded—giving 25 entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business plans to a panel of economic development experts.

“Building from Within” is the theme of the session aimed at jump-starting resident-owned businesses on Milwaukee’s North Side. Planned by Ald. Russell W. Stamper II, St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care and the North Avenue Marketplace Business Improvement District (BID) 32, the incubator is designed to provide investment resources and advice to people looking to expand or start their own business in the 15th Aldermanic District (53205, 53206, 53208, 53210 and 53212 ZIP codes).

“There’s a strong entrepreneurial spirit in this neighborhood—and some very impressive business ideas,” says Sr. Edna Lonergan, president of St. Ann Center, a day care for both children and adults, that opened its Bucyrus Campus in the 15th District a year ago. “We’re excited to be able to offer a second incubator and strengthen the economic health of this talented neighborhood.”

Residents from the 15th District interested in presenting are required to complete a brief questionnaire explaining their business ideas.  Small business professionals will review the submissions and choose 25 aspiring entrepreneurs with the most viable business ideas to attend the incubator session. Participants will have a chance to meet one-on-one with investors, talk about their business ideas, receive coaching on developing a business plan and possibly find backers for their venture.

“The result of the first incubator has some entrepreneurs well on their way to opening up their businesses,” says Ald. Stamper who has worked to find office space for them. “We have great momentum and growth in the 15th District with a lot of potential. We‘re expecting an even greater success with the second incubator. I want to thank St Ann Center, Bid 32, the investors and all the panelists for their continued support of this community.”

The incubator will begin with success stories from neighborhood business owners who will speak about their experiences with their own business startups. Investors, bankers and lawyers will also be on hand to discuss the services they can provide—from identifying funding resources to offering legal and marketing support. Guided tours of St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus will also be offered.

Feedback from participants in the first incubator has been positive. “I found it very encouraging to be in the midst of so many energetic, open-minded, well-grounded entrepreneurs,” said Hazel Hicks, who pitched her plan for a security business. “It was an afternoon abounding with solid business resources.”

Incubator questionnaires are being distributed to neighborhood businesses and churches throughout the 15th District. They are also available at St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus and can be completed online at stanncenter.org/biz. Questionnaires must be submitted by Wednesday, Nov. 30.

Residents interested in the business incubator, as well as investors who would like to participate in networking and mentoring opportunities, can contact John Jansen with questions or for more information at (414) 977-5031 or jjansen@stanncenter.org.

October-December 2016 Seasons of Life Feature

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Warmth at the Door

You’d have to get up pretty early in the morning to get the jump on J.T. Johnson and Eddie Lake. They’re wide awake and smiling by 7:30 a.m. weekdays, welcoming everyone to St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus.

The hospitable team has been greeting clients and visitors since October 2015, when the adult day program opened. The retirees volunteer through SER Jobs, a program that gives mature workers useful training opportunities in community service.

“I love meeting new people and making them feel comfortable,”  J.T. says, as he carefully pushes a client in a wheelchair to the adult day program unit, where her morning cup of coffee is waiting. He greets clients who have dementia with a special gentleness that quickly puts them at ease. Others, he jokes with…like his special friend, “Molasses,” who earned her nickname by taking her time.

“This job’s pretty cool…I like getting to know people by name.” – Eddie

J.T., a great-grandfather, and Eddie, the granddad of six, have even developed a routine with the childcare youngsters. “They make sure to stop for high fives before they head to their classrooms,” Eddie says, as he slaps palm after tiny palm. J.T. thinks St. Ann Center’s intergenerational programming makes a lot of sense. “As it says in the Bible,” he quotes, “’your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.’ The young and old are meant to be and grow together.”

Both men well remember when the Bucyrus Campus was an empty lot, and they’re optimistic about the activity they’re now seeing. They’re also looking forward to the completion of the second-floor Alzheimer’s and dementia care unit. “Then, we’ll really be busy,” Eddie says, as he slips his arm under the elbow of a silver-haired woman and matches his steps to hers.

Read all the inspiring stories from our joyful intergenerational community.

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