Summer fun!

Our busy week at the Wisconsin Dells with our family was great! There were 33 of us! God was good to us: giving us safe travel, good health, great food, card and Domino games, beautiful sights to see, and lots of sharing times. A few of the highlights for me were the day at Mt. Olympus Theme/Water Parks, the Tommy Bartlett Ski and Water Show, the tour of the Wollersheim Winery in Prairie Du Sac, WI, and the Duck Boat Ride. Breakfast at Paul Bunyan’s Cook Shanty is something to also remember. I thank God for such good days and fun experiences with my family---and the little black dog, Midnight, was SO happy to have us come back to the farm. He just couldn’t get enough petting.

On Sunday, 19th, was the St. Francis High School Reunion. We had a chapel full of people for the Mass and lots for the luncheon afterwards. Much visiting took place before Mass and at the meal. It was great! St. Francis High School was in operation from 1926 to 1977…2339 women graduated from the school and then there were MANY others who came for a time, but did not graduate. The Sisters and lay teachers who taught there influenced a lot of women those 51 years. The High School is an important piece of our Franciscan Sisters’ history. I am grateful for the foresight of our early Sisters for founding the High School. Many of our Sisters are graduates of St. Francis.

This week we have about 30 Nursing Leadership Symposium participants here for meeting for three days—12 of them are staying nights here at St. Francis Center.

This coming weekend and next weekend we have the U-Rock youth here practicing for their Green Fair performances on August 5th. One can not only hear them practice…in the building you can also feel the beat of the drums! U-Rock youth have an opportunity to form bands, work together and to learn music together.

The Green Fair Folk Festival is only two weeks away—August 5th from 4 to 8 p.m. We are expecting about 70 vendors exhibiting earth-friendly products, health and wellness information, family entertainment and Kids activities. We will also again have the horse-drawn wagon giving tours of campus. There is a lot going on in that 4-hour period of time! Put it on your calendar to come. You won’t be sorry.

My prayer for you is that you’ve been safe and healthy so far this summer…and that it continues.

Peace and blessings,

Sister Mary Lou