African drums will call Milwaukeeans to the city’s north side on Friday, June 7, to join St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care at the Completion Celebration for its Bucyrus Campus at 2450 W. North Ave. The event, set for 1-3 p.m., will give the public a chance to explore several new additions to the center, which provides child and adult day care and health and educational services to the community.

The newly finished spaces include a Dementia Care Wing, Overnight Respite Care Unit, indoor Aquatic Center, Art Studio, Beauty Salon, Band Shell and Childcare Classrooms. The Bucyrus Campus opened in September of 2015 with these spaces left unfinished. A successful capital campaign and a $5 million grant from Wisconsin’s capital budget, received in 2017, allowed the $28 million two-story, 80,000-square-foot facility to be completed this spring.

“These new spaces are part of a renewal I see happening throughout this community,” said Sr. Edna Lonergan, St. Ann Center founder and CEO. “The band shell will draw talented people from the neighborhood who haven’t had an audience before. Our expanded dementia care and overnight respite will allow people to go to work knowing their loved ones are receiving compassionate care. And our warm-water swimming pool will help ensure our children know how to swim.” Nationally, 70% of African-American children, 58% of Hispanic children and 40% of white children have little or no swimming ability.

The celebration will begin at the Indaba (Swahili for “gathering place”) Band Shell at 1 p.m. with the untying of a kente cloth bow. Remarks will be made by U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore; Kaylan Haywood II, representative for Wisconsin’s 16th Assembly District; Russell W. Stamper II, 15^th District Alderman; Supreme Moore Omokunde, 10^th District County Supervisor and Sr. Diana De Bruin, Associate Director of Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. Bishop James Schuerman of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will assist with the ribbon untying.

Other program highlights include a Native American eagle dance, a multicultural blessing and libation ceremony and a performance by the Parklawn Assembly of God Praise Dancers. Following the program, the public is invited inside for guided tours of the other new spaces, all scheduled to begin operation this year. Refreshments and entertainment by Christopher’s Project will also be featured, and a Trade Fair featuring north side entrepreneurs will be held on the second floor of the building’s beautiful indoor intergenerational park.

St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care thanks all the outstanding community-based organizations, businesses and donors who have supported the creation of the Bucyrus Campus—a replication of St. Ann Center’s Stein Campus, located on Milwaukee’s south side for 36 years. Featuring a unique intergenerational model, the center provides community-based health and educational day services to children, frail elders and adults with cognitive and physical disabilities, while providing resources and support to their caregivers. Services open to the community include a medical clinic and a specialized dental clinic which exclusively serves people with physical or cognitive disabilities.

For updated information about the event, visit St. Ann Center on Facebook at facebook.com/stanncenter/events. For more information, contact Casey Rozanski at (414) 977-5062 or Crozanski@stanncenter.org.