Thank You Heritage Federal Credit Union For Supporting Growing

730 W. Delaware Street Evansville, IN 47711 Phone: 812-424-4780 Fax: 812-425-2502

Elissa’s Story - St. Vincent ’s Provides So Much More Than She Expected

stvincentcenterforchildren.org

Thank You Heritage Federal Credit Union For Supporting Growing through Gardening Thanks to support from Heritage Federal Credit Union, this year our students were able to not only learn about how produce grows, but to actually grow it in our garden. The Growing Through Gardening program was incorporated into our preschool curriculum this spring. To help students learn about germination, they started with growing green bean seeds in their classrooms and then transplanted them into their small garden plot where they also planted cucumbers, squash and tomatoes. Throughout the summer each class spent time learning about how plants grow, tended their garden and harvested the produce, which they then sampled. The entire process helped bring the planting and growing cycle full circle for our students. We thank Heritage Federal Credit Union for its generous support of our the Growing Through Gardening Program and for their employees’ volunteer support in helping to water, weed and tend our garden plot.

All parents can expect the highest quality early education and care in a safe and nurturing environment when they enroll their children at St. Vincent’s. And that’s exactly what Elissa Johnson expected—but it’s what she didn’t expect that has made the biggest impact on her life. Elissa’s son Elijah was born in June 2011 and she instantly knew that he deserved to have the absolutely best parent that she could be. Because she was working and going to school, she needed to find quality care for Elijah. Our Paths to Quality Level 4 rating and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation along with the excellent recommendations she received from friends are what brought Elissa to St. Vincent’s. The quality of the teachers, the curriculum and care, and most importantly, Elijah’s growth and response to it are what keeps her at St. Vincent’s. But something Elissa never expected was the impact St. Vincent’s has had on her life through our Family Advocacy Program. The guidance, support, advice, and even the cheerleading has helped her to focus on her personal goals—both in working toward and accomplishing them. “As a parent, there is always room for improvement. St. Vincent’s Family Advocacy Program helps families connect to community resources and I appreciate the programs the agency makes available to families and parents. Programs like Youth First’s Strengthening Families provides the guidance and support parents need to be the very best parents they can be for their children,” says Elissa.

“I can’t thank St. Vincent’s enough for not only allowing my son Elijah to learn and grow as a person, but also providing me the opportunity to grow as well.”

Fall 2015 Volume 1, Issue 4 Inside this issue: Marilyn J. Klenck Fund Supports Wordless Picture Books for Students

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Celebrating Families at Family Fun Night and Carnival

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Piece of Cake’s Pies for a Purpose Fundraiser Supports St. Vincent’s

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Daughters of Charity Donate an ABC Bench to St. Vincent’s

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THANK YOU Donors and Dancing With Our Stars, Evansville Style Supporters

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THANK YOU to United Way Day of Caring Volunteers

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100 Stories for 100 Years Recognizing the Ladies of Charity

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Did You Know?

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THANK YOU Heritage Federal Credit Union for Supporting our Growing Through Gardening Program

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Marilyn J. Klenck Fund Supports Wordless Picture Books for Students

100 Stories for 100 Years

St. Vincent’s is grateful to the Marilyn J. Klenck Fund for Education and Literacy for its $2,323 grant to purchase wordless picture books for our students.

Board of Trustees Chair Michael DiRienzo Vice-Chair Joshua Hodge Treasurer Sister Theresa Peck, D.C. Secretary Phil Stolz Dr. Timothy “Tad” Dickel Terry Green Anita Hagan

Integrating these books into our curriculum will help build children’s literacy and creative imagination skills, which have critical roles in their future achievement. Wordless picture books provide numerous benefits for emerging readers, including the development of prereading skills, sequential thinking and visual discrimination. Children can draw on their interpretive skills to invent narratives, which allows them to practice storytelling skills and expand their cognitive abilities. We appreciate the support of the Marilyn J. Klenck Fund to help instill in our students a love of reading and learning.

Celebrating Families at Family Fun Night and Carnival Family engagement is an important component of our work at St. Vincent’s. Many of the families we serve have little time and even less disposable income for extracurricular family activities, which are important opportunities for parents and children to spend valuable time together.

Sister Sharon Haskins, D.C. Jeffrey Jackson Sister Margaret Quinn, D.C. Tammy Sutton Vanessa Wilkison Patti Wittgen President and Executive Director Kimberley A. Mulfinger Our Mission Founded on the values of the Daughters of Charity, St. Vincent Center for Children and Families is an accredited early childhood education and care center that starts all children on a pathway to lifetime success and coordinates programs and services to help their families thrive.

St. Vincent’s Board member Vanessa Wilkison runs a carnival game at Family Fun Night.

family meal, play fun carnival games and win prizes. Again this year, THANK YOU to El Charro Mexican Restaurant for so generously providing a wonderful meal complete with chips, salsa, tacos, beans and rice!

St. Vincent’s

Our Family Fun Night and Carnival is a free event that affords children and families the opportunity to spend some quality time together, enjoy a

In just three years, St. Vincent’s will be celebrating our 100th anniversary of caring for and educating children in our community. As we look forward to this momentous occasion, we are looking back over our history and early beginnings. As noted in the August 8, 1918 Evansville Courier article to the right, the Ladies of Charity worked relentlessly to raise the funds to start St. Vincent’s Day Nursery. As the founders of our organization, the Ladies of Charity devoted countless hours to help meet the community’s need of quality, affordable care for the children of working women. We are grateful for their tremendous work and fundraising efforts along with the support of the community that made our organization a reality. As we approach our 100 year anniversary in 2018 we want to connect with alumni, former board and staff members, and volunteers to share their memories of St. Vincent’s with us. If you or someone you know would like to share a memory of St. Vincent’s, please contact Katelynne Edge at 812-424-4780 or at: [email protected].

Did You Know?  Research continues to show that young children learn best through meaningful play experiences. Active free

play outdoors is where children start to build many of the foundational life skills they need in order to be successful for years to come.  The economic benefits of high quality early childhood education outweigh the costs. Cost estimates indicate a

return on investment of 16%, yielding more than $8 for every $1 invested.  The blue boxes that contain words and their definitions throughout this newsletter are our organization’s

values. They remain ever present in the work we do on behalf of children and families and help to guide us as we continue growing our future.

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2015 Dancing With Our Stars, Evansville Style Thank You continued Ramona Sebree Shannon's School of Dance Ben Shoulders Stacy Sloan Linzee Smiley Studio D James Sutton Joshalyn Sutton Beth Sweeney Todd Taylor Bill Theby and Pat Vaughan Karen Timberlake Sonja Timberlake-Wagner Deb Turner-Baehl

United Fidelity Bank Brian Vaal Richard and Dori Van Vlack Dirk and Pamela Vanvorst Robert and Kelley Vescovi Bobbi Warren Productions Greg Wedding Timothy Weir Kelli Wilkins Jim and Karen Will Marsha Williams Patti and Jeff Wittgen Stephen and Laurie Witting Monica Wolschleger

Paul Wright Lisa Young Tracy Zeller In-Kind Supporters Evansville Courier & Press Fat Head Media Lamar Advertising Nussmeier Printing Tracy Zeller Jewelry Tri-State Trophies 99.5 WKDQ 103 GBF 106.1 Kiss

United Way Day of Caring Each year, the United Way of Southwestern Indiana kicks off its campaign with the Day Of Caring. After volunteers and member agencies attended a wonderful breakfast, St. Vincent’s was delighted to host 43 volunteers from Clippinger Financial, Springleaf and Vectren. Volunteers were throughout our center. Fourteen spent the morning working with our preschool students on painting stones for our agency garden. And, Brian from Vectren Corporation played guitar and sang to students in their classrooms. Our students enjoy having caring volunteers engage with them, particularly when they are sharing a new experience with them. “We want to expose our students to a wide spectrum of experiences, from educational and career interests to favorite hobbies” said St. Vincent’s Program Director Mandy Brown. Twenty-eight volunteers worked on projects throughout our facility that included washing walls and windows, trimming shrubbery and trees, sprucing up landscaping and our playgrounds. We thank all the United Way Day of Caring volunteers for sharing their time, talents and skills with us!

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Have A Seat—Daughters of Charity Donate an ABC Bench to St. Vincent’s THANK YOU to the Daughters of Charity for donating a wonderful ABC Bench to St. Vincent Center for Children and Families!

CREATIVITY The ability to use the imagination to develop new and original ideas or things; particularly to assist children to reach developmental and academic goals.

Plastic bottle caps—more than 400 pounds— were collected over the last year and a half and Green Tree Plastics recycled them into two benches, one of which was given to St. Vincent's. We know the bench will be enjoyed for many years to come!

Teachers Sarah Luzader and Carolyn Wininger and children from Room K take time away from outdoor play to test out the new bench.

Thanksgiving Pie Fundraiser Will Benefit St. Vincent ’s For 17 years, Piece of Cake has been serving our community with its wonderful selection of delicious sweet treats including cookies, pies and cakes. One of the ways this locally owned business supports non-profit organizations like St. Vincent’s is through its Pies for a Purpose Fundraiser. From November 1 through November 19, you can stop by St. Vincent’s or use the coupon below to make you selection from any of twelve delicious pies. Pie orders must be pre-paid and received no later than 4:00pm on November 19.

HOPE To be confident in the likelihood of success.

For every pie sold, St. Vincent’s will receive $3 back. Pies will be available for pick-up at St. Vincent’s from 11- 5pm on Wednesday, November 25. Please contact Katelynne Edge (812) 424-4780 if you have any questions.

St. Vincent’s Pies for a Purpose Order Form Please indicate how many of each pie you are ordering and include your check made payable to Piece of Cake with the order: ____ Apple $14.95

____ Banana Cream $14.95

____ Chocolate Cream $14.95 ____ Kentucky Bourbon $18.95 ____ Peanut Butter $18.95

____ Cherry $18.95

____ German Chocolate $14.95

____ Key Lime $18.95 ____ Pecan $14.95

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Lemon Cream $18.95

____ Pumpkin $9.95

Name: _____________________________________ Phone # ___________________ Mail this order form and your check to: St. Vincent Center for Children and Families, 530 W. Delaware Street, Evansville, IN 47710

RESPECT To recognize and appreciate the dignity, value and rights of all persons of all ages.

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Thank You Donors! THANK YOU to the following individuals, organizations, businesses and foundations who generously supported our mission from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015.

INTEGRITY To possess and steadfastly adhere to high moral principles and professional standards.

Gifts of $100,000 and above Daughters of Charity Province of St. Louise United Way of Southwestern Indiana

Gifts of $250 - $499 continued John and Jane Hodge Josh and Lauren Hodge Christopher Kessler

Gifts of $50,000 and above SW Indiana Business Leaders Roundtable on ECC and SW Indiana Future Fund

Donald and Linda Libbert Charles Sitch Springleaf Financial Matching Gifts Program United Way of Henderson County - Century Aluminum Sebree United Way of Gibson County - Toyota Motor Manufacturing IN

Gifts of $10,000 - $24,999 Cecil A. and Mabel Lene Hamman Foundation City of Evansville Endowment Fund Gifts of $5,000 - $9,999 John and Karen Cinelli Wayne and Beth Kinney

SYSTEMIC CHANGE To use a dynamic process of change that occurs in all aspects and levels of the educational process and affects all of the people included in the process, including families and society.

TRUST Confidence in and reliance on good qualities, especially fairness, truth, honor or ability, and hopeful reliance on what will happen in the future.

Gifts of $2,500 - $4,999 Accuride Corporation Robert and Pauline Wassmer Mamie L. Young Charitable Trust Gifts of $1,000 - $2,499 Anonymous Atlas Van Lines Daniel and Mary Atler Michael and Elizabeth Byrd Deaconess Hospital, Inc. Freeman Will & Niemeier, Inc. Ladies of Charity Kim and Fred Mulfinger Joseph and Mary Tobin Kathy Tretter Trinity United Methodist Church Fund for Service to Others Gifts of $500 - $999 Michael and Karen Browning Carl and Kay Chapman Michael and Barbara Doris Heritage Federal Credit Union Jim and Karen Will Christine Williams John and Mary Wittgen Gifts of $250 - $499 Cherie Burgdorf Mark and Margaret Conway Jeffrey and Diana Feyen Harold and Joyce Godeke

Gifts of $100 - $249 Anne Ainsworth American Sanitary Supply Ted and Diane Barron Bradley and Julie Bath William Bennett Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Matthew and Kelly Broshears Dan and Michelle Collins - Collins Pest Management Timothy and Andrea Dickel Dan and Erin Diehl Daniel and Elizabeth Edwards Elizabeth Flittner Sister Michael Friebe, D.C. Cynthia Hupfer Justin and Catherine Jarvis Oscar and Helen Jones Colleen Martin Ann Muehlbauer E. Wayne and Martha Pokorney Anthony and Cynthia Richardt SABIC Innovative Plastics Matching Gifts Program Richard and Martha Schuler Barry and Mary Jane Silvey Jill Snyder Phil and Kiersten Stolz Jason Titzer Lynn Vosburgh Jerry and Patricia Ziemer Gifts of $1 - $99 Anonymous Eugene and Rose Mary Adler Trevor Arvin AT & T Employee Matching Gifts Program Thomas and Sandra Bailey II Katharina Clem David and Frances Enzler Michael Goebel

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Gifts of $1 - $99 continued Jean Goelzhauser Sandra Goin Nancy E. Haas Robert and Lucille Hayden Dennis and Donna Hodges Joni Jackson Ron and Susan Jesop Tom and Connie Kremer Imogene Lutz Dana Purdy Jay and Linda Ritter Paula and Charles Sabotta J.E. Shekell, Inc. Stephanie Starkey State Employees' Community Campaign Tammy Sutton United Way of Gibson County United Way of Henderson County - Big Rivers Electric Leo and Mary Will William and Mary Ann Wittgen

THANK YOU to the following individuals, businesses and foundations who generously supported Dancing With Our Stars, Evansville Style 2015 with their sponsorships, ticket purchases and votes for our dancers. Waltz Sponsor Cold Stone Creamery/ Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Tango Sponsors Berry Plastics Corporation Tropicana Evansville Uniseal - Koch Foundation Rumba Sponsors Evansville Teaches Federal Credit Union F.C. Tucker Emge Realtors Harding, Shymanski & Company, P.S.C. Old National Bank St. Mary's Cha-Cha Sponsors Allen's Home Solutions Basket Kases Gift Shoppe D-Patrick Ford Lincoln Evansville Icemen First Security Bank Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn, LLP

Don Bernhardt Mary Blair Matthew and Kelly Broshears Mary Jane Bruner Cherie Burgdorf Alex Burton Zachary Burton Keith Busse Adam Caldwell Bernice Callahan Tara Case Carl and Kay Chapman Linda Clifford Amanda Conner LaDonne Craig Richard and Connie Dauch Daughters of Charity Daniel Davis Rob Davis Michael Dickerson

Robert and Deborah Goldman Rafail Gonzalez Lisa Grimm Hafer Associates, P.C. Anita and Rusty Hagan Kenton and Anna Hargis Birdie Harrison Henry Hayden Scott and Laura Hazlett Mary Healy Zachary Heronemus Brandon and Maggie Hill Aldo Rob Hirschbuhl Josh and Lauren Hodge Betsy Hopkins Stephen Horning Ann Hummel Brandy James Karese Johnson Scott and Lana Judd

Jane Marchant Melodie Marion Stephen Martin John McCullough Doana Meeks Maureen Meyer Chad Monroe Jason and Alyson Niehaus Todd Nowak Katie O'Daniel ONB Employee Jeans Day Oswald Communications Laura Ottenbacher Ashly Peierskalla Piece of Cake Jennifer Pointer Bryan Prado Robert Renock, Jr. Jack and Lisa Rheinhardt Anthony and Cynthia Richardt

Supporters Accuride Corporation David Adams Robin Adams Timothy Alcorn Deanna Allbrittin American Sanitary Supply Ron and Margaret Angermeier Anonymous Stephen Barker

Charles Dietrich Mike and Melissa DiRienzo Mark Druckmiller Alicia Egli Ray and Lenore Engler Jeffery and Diane Feyen Frehouse Subs Bob and Debbie Garlick Jason Garlick Ronald and Sheri George

Melissa Kahn Kanpai Asian Bistro Rebecca Kasha Gary Keeton Janet Keller Wayne and Beth Kinney Lewis Kling Kimberly Lewis George Macon and Karen Hall Sharon Macon

Gregory Risch John Risner and Sharon Parente Jay and Linda Ritter Almeta Rodgers Rich Royalty State Farm James Rulseh Paul and Ann Ryan Kerstin Schultz Donna Schweiger Deborah Sebree