Making Service Personal Contact us MakingServicePersonal @gmail.com 485 Prairie St. Prairie du Sac, WI 53578 (608) 658-4700 Staff: John Ramthun [email protected]Sarah Ramthun [email protected]Shirley Kelter [email protected]MakingService Personal.org 6:8 (inspired by Micah 6:8, Isaiah 6:8, Mark 6:8, & 1 Tim 6:8) is a not-for-profit organization, “Transforming communities by making service personal through Intentional Community.” Here are some highlights. Find out more at www.MakingServicePersonal.org. 6:8 485 Prairie St. Prairie du Sac, WI 53578 Points of Interest: Learning for Life Honoring our Elders 2015 Financial Report 2014 In Review From the Directors 6:8 Wish List MakingServicePersonal.org Y ou know what they say (the infamous they)… “Give some- one a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach someone to fish and you feed them for a lifetime.” (Common answer for they in this instance is a Chinese Proverb.) Learn- ing for Life (L4L) was born out of a desire to connect adults in Sauk Prairie with learning opportunities cou- pled with people and resources. We can all benefit from learning more in the areas of Health & Wellness, Employ- ment, Finances, and Family Life and classes in these are- as are open to all adults. Some of us have more motiva- tion and resources then others so the program also offers benefits including scholarships, childcare, transportation, vouchers for food, etc. to those who are paired with a Connector. Connectors are trained to help learners set goals, stay accountable, and connect them with resources available including the classes offered. The L4L Core Team is thrilled that the Fall Semester brought 3 classes involving 12 different students and 4 Connectors trained! Classes are offered this spring (details at MakingServicePer- sonal.org/learningforlife) and we are looking for more part- ners as we continue - teachers, classes already being offered in Sauk Prairie, connectors, resources available, etc. If you would like to get more involved, get in touch with Sarah ([email protected]/(608) 658-4719) and we’ll invite you in to grow, learn, connect, and share! Students enjoy making meals at the Learning For Life Fall Cooking Class. Students made 2 recipes to take home along with fresh produce to make more ! SAUK PRAIRIE AGAINST HUNGER PACK EVENT IN OCTOBER: 1,229 VOLUNTEERS ∙ 381,024 MEALS ∙ 1,043 CH ILDREN FED FOR A YEAR WINTER 2015 If you want to learn more or get involved, call (608) 658-4700
6:8 (inspired by Micah 6:8, Isaiah 6:8, Mark 6:8, & 1 Tim 6:8) is a not-for-profit organization, “Transforming communities by making service personal through Intentional Community.” Here are some highlights.
Find out more at www.MakingServicePersonal.org.
6:8 485 Prairie St. Prairie du Sac, WI 53578
Points of
Interest: Learning for Life
Honoring our Elders
2015 Financial Report
2014 In Review
From the Directors
6:8 Wish List
MakingServicePersonal.org
Y ou know what they say (the
infamous they)… “Give some-
one a fish and you feed them for a
day. Teach someone to fish and you
feed them for a lifetime.” (Common
answer for they in this instance is a Chinese Proverb.) Learn-
ing for Life (L4L) was born out of a desire to connect
adults in Sauk Prairie with learning opportunities cou-
pled with people and resources. We can all benefit from
learning more in the areas of Health & Wellness, Employ-
ment, Finances, and Family Life and classes in these are-
as are open to all adults. Some of us have more motiva-
tion and resources then others so the program also offers benefits including scholarships,
childcare, transportation, vouchers for food, etc. to those who are paired with a Connector.
Connectors are trained to help learners set goals, stay accountable, and connect them with
resources available including the classes offered. The L4L Core Team is thrilled that the
Fall Semester brought 3 classes involving 12 different students and 4 Connectors trained!
Classes are offered this spring (details at MakingServicePer-
sonal.org/learningforlife) and we are looking for more part-
ners as we continue - teachers, classes already being offered
in Sauk Prairie, connectors, resources available, etc. If you
would like to get more involved, get in touch with Sarah
Students enjoy making meals at the Learning For Life Fall Cooking Class. Students made 2 recipes to take home
along with fresh produce to make more !
SAUK PRAIRIE AGAINST HUNGER PACK EVENT IN OCTOBER:
1,229 VOLUNTEERS ∙ 381,024 MEALS ∙ 1,043 CH ILDREN FED FOR A YEAR
W I NTER 20 15 If you want to
learn more or get
involved, call
(608) 658-4700
6:8 485 Prairie St. Prairie du Sac, WI 53578
Quote or
something
Making ServicePersonal.org
MadCAAP High School Mission Trip 2013: Built a house, had fun, went to Church, donated
$40,000, worked in the MadCAAP Garden, prayed together, visited the clothes closet, and more!
Y ES! This was the thoughtful and heartfelt response from John and Sarah to another call they heard from God and our community. 6:8’s newest
venture is Honoring Our Elders - a spiritual support and companioning minis-try to elderly members of the Sauk Prairie community. With your support and
service, together we will celebrate the wisdom, service, and stories of elders; and provide support to those who might be lonely, dealing with any variety of loss, coming to the end of their life’s journey, struggling with life’s challenges and questions, or simply would benefit from a dose of spirit-lifting!
Recently, I heard a great description of a “chaplain:” story-catcher. It really rings true! In every visit with elders, I am privileged to hear inspiring, fascinating, funny, and sometimes pain-filled stories. My heart is touched over and over. Many of our elderly I visit live in the nursing home or assisted living residences of Maplewood or Pines, others in their own homes. Some are very lonely, having only periodic brief conversations with caregivers or occasional contacts with family. The opportunity to tell their story, share their worries, reflect on their losses, tap into their courage, and voice their hopes - unhurried - is a need and gift for them (as well, for those with lots of family support and activity). Often I will pray with an elder I visit, if they wish, but sometimes they are simply content to talk. Or cry. Or laugh!
As I entered one woman’s assisted living apartment at Christmastime, I was startled by a bird happily chirping - right by my ear! I looked around for a birdcage, and the resident clapped her hands and laughed, saying, “I love when that happens!” She showed me the little cardinal ornament by her door that senses motion and starts chirping whenever someone walks in or out of her door. She told me it’s her favorite Christmas decoration, and it led to a discussion about her interest in birds and nature, about her children who fill the bird feeders outside her windows and the joy that brings her - and one story led to the next. Almost an hour passed in a blink! When I stood to leave, her eyes were sparkling and her smile told me she was waiting for the little “watch bird” to start chirping again when I left.
Another woman, I found resting in her bed on Christmas Eve. This woman, I knew, strug-gles with speech, due to a stroke, and suffers from some dementia. I sat by her bed, held her hand, and softly sang Christmas carols to her. She seemed to enjoy listening to the familiar songs, and soon began singing with me - as best she could - a beautiful smile lighting up her face. I have often found music to be a powerful ministry tool - reaching places in the heart and memory that talking alone might miss. Making a connection like this is such a sacred gift - truly I felt a sense of being on “holy ground.”
These are only two of many, many stories I could share with you! I hope you’ll consider being part of Honoring Our Elders, helping me grow this important ministry. In the near future we will begin developing a network of volunteers, Friends of Elders - individuals, families, youth - who will share in the joy of story-catching! Stay tuned for more details.
2015! A new year of possibilities - for 6:8, our Sauk Prairie Community, and espe-cially its elderly population. Help us honor and celebrate the gifts they are to us!
Thousands of people ate, watched the main stage,
played games, dunked local celebrities, enjoyed fire-
works - celebrated the 4th of July at Fire on the River
W e look at the pictures, stories, and financial review in this Newsletter and can’t help but be grateful — for YOU!!! YOU, the volunteers who pack food, make phone calls, ask for Silent Auction donations, plan SPAH Fundraisers, get involved with Mission Trip, enter data, make & serve food, facilitate games, stuff mailings, come to meetings, teach classes, become Friends of Sauk Prairie elderly... YOU, who tell your friends about 6:8, follow on Facebook, read signs in our yard, read our newsletter, hang up posters... YOU, individuals, families, businesses, and organiza-tions who sponsor families, are Mission Trip Shareholders, sponsor Fire on the River, donate money, buy Silent Auction items, donate Silent Auction items, bring Wish List Items over… YOU who make up 6:8!!! As we look at 2014, we thank God for YOU!!!!!!
From the Directors
YOU ARE IN OUR PRAYERS, JOHN & SARAH
Highlights of 2014
Wish List Forever Stamps
Businesses or Individuals
to make/print copies
Guitar for Shirley
Coffee Pot
8 1/2 x 11 in. Scrap Paper
(blank on one side)
5 Battery Powered
Calculators
6:8 was awarded Sauk Prairie’s
Non-Profit of the Year
Volunteers at Feed My Sheep
packaged over 100,000 Meals
We harvested
341 lbs. from the
Community Garden
50 youth & adults paid for and
built a house for Lynda Floyd
and her family in Mississippi
11 Seniors graduated with the
Silver Cord (60 currently enrolled)
477 Bags of Food went home
with Sauk Prairie families for
school breaks
Learning for Life
sponsored 3 classes
and taught 12 learners
MadCAAP High School Mission Trip
celebrated 10 years!!! 560 Mission Trippers
54 Children with new Homes
SPAH Pack Event hosted 1,229 volunteers and packed
381,024 meals to feed 1,043 children for a year
6:8 reached 1,000,000
Meals Packed
Fire on the River went
off with a BANG
Shirley was hired as Chaplin and
Program Director for Honoring our
Elders to celebrate and connect
2014 was an AMAZING year!!! We can’t wait for 2015!!!
