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June 2013
Greetings!
Our Everyday
 
The last few months at Mary's Shelter have been extremely busy!  We have encountered many new issues ranging from immigration to emergency dental surgery!  The learning curve around here is steep as we are regularly helping women in the community with unique dilemmas and crises.   Providing housing and support to pregnant women in crisis is very rewarding as well as emotional.  There are both great and difficult moments everyday.  However, at the end of the day, the realization that so many precious babies might not have been born without the support of Mary's Shelter is nothing short of breathtaking. 

Our4th Annual Summer Soirée is coming up in August.  It is a great opportunity to learn more about Mary's Shelter,  hear directly from some of our residents, and take part in our life-saving ministry.  We hope to see you all there on August 10th.  In the meantime, please keep all our mothers, children and babies in your prayers.

God bless,
Kathleen Wilson, director
Save the Date for the Summer Soirée!
Please plan on joining us at the
4th Annual Mary's Shelter Summer Soirée 
to be held at the Fredericksburg Expo Center on
Saturday, August 10th from 6-10pm. 
We look forward to another evening of great food, awesome music, and inspiring speakers! 
activist, artist, mother  
Recent Pictures!
 
finance class
Our ladies at a finance class.


book club
Book club meeting!


Our intern, Marian, with baby Arielle.


Baby Gabrielle


Baby R with a bear!
Resident Interview - "Eleanor"
"Eleanor" is 30 years old and has been living at Mary's Shelter since February 2013.  She is due with her third child in July, 2013. She came to Mary's Shelter with a high school diploma and a desire to continue her education.  She will be graduating with her Associate's Degree in May, 2013.
 
Q: How did you find out about Mary's Shelter?
 Through AAA Women for Choice.
 
Q: What have you found helpful about the shelter?   
Monday madness because it gives a chance to interact with other moms and learn new things. 

Q: Are there things about living here that you find difficult? 
Nothing I can think of.  Maybe when the baby gets here!  Oh, wait being so far away from my family.

Q:How would you describe your life growing up? 
A good childhood.  I have siblings from my dad's side but I never met them.  I only knew my dad till I was about four.  I don't know what happened between him and my mom so I don't blame him.  My mom and I are not close. When I ask to see her she has an excuse not to.  She's like the big sister who drops in from out of town to say hi, and that's it.  There is no mother/daughter relationship, not like I would like it to be.

Q: Did you ever consider having an abortion during this pregnancy?   
Yes, that is why I went to Triple AAA.  I was trying to go to the abortion clinic two doors down, but went into the wrong building, which turned into being the right building.  They talked about what options they could help with because housing was the biggest issue, there were no places to go, waiting lists everywhere.  They told me about Mary's Shelter, then I called and after playing phone tag with each other, Miss Kathleen and I had the interview, a good interview, and  I moved in about a week later.  
 
Q: Can you tell me about your other children?
I have a son who is going on 11, he lives with his grandmother.  I have another son, who is just turned four, and he lives with his aunt and uncle.  I see them every week and have shared custody.  My goal is as soon as I can to give them a stable home and live with me.

Q:What are some of the greatest challenges you have faced? 
Graduating high school, I was on the verge of failing. I was pregnant with my first son and very stressed.  I got a tutor and and was able to graduate.  I was seven months pregnant when I graduated from high school.  There were so many times I wanted to drop out but I did not because I thought about my future and my son's future.      
 
Q:What aspects of your life are you trying to change?
Getting a home and a vehicle.  I had a full-time job that was over a half-hour away, and my car just died and so now I need to somehow get a vehicle.  I definitely want to stay at Mary's Shelter so I can save money and be able to use the tools I am learning about here to help make my life more stable.    

Q: What goals do you have for yourself?
To fix my credit, go to school for becoming a dental assistant, obtain a car, and live with my children again full-time.  And of course, find a job as a dental assistant.

Q: What place does God have in your life? 
I was brought up Baptist. I believe in God and I know that it was a sign from God that He sent me into the wrong building which turned into the right building.  I pray to God and am thankful to Him.
 
Volunteer Interview - Janet Richardson
 

Janet Richardson has been married to Bryan for 29 years and they have three grown sons. They moved from Southern California to Fredericksburg in 2002 and have been members of St. Mary Church since then. She has been a nurse for 30 years and is currently the school nurse at Holy Cross Academy.

 


Q: How did you first get involved with Mary's Shelter and begin volunteering?
I started volunteering a couple years ago as a mentor. Currently I babysit the older children during Monday Night Madness.

Q: How do you find the time to volunteer?
My children are grown and living on their own and I work part time, so I have a lot of free time!
 
  
Q: What is the best part of volunteering at Mary's Shelter? What have you learned from your volunteer experience?
The children are such a blessing. They are always cracking me up!  It's also great meeting the other volunteers and getting to know the moms.
   

Q:  What do you feel you have to offer to the residents?
Experience as a mom and nurse, and sharing my faith.

 
Q: What would you recommend for others who want to get more involved in Mary's Shelter through volunteer work?
I feel I get more than I give, so volunteering is very worthwhile.  

Q: What is the best thing about Mary's Shelter?

The kids!     

 
Thank you!
* Thank you to Project Linus for the beautiful baby blankets!

* Thank you to Pat Almany for the 3 part finance class series.  It was a real hit with both residents and staff!

*A big thank you to Caroline Stewart for teaching prenatal yoga to our ladies for the last 2 years.  We are so sad to see you move to Japan, but anxiously await your return in 2 years!  Bon Voyage!

*Thank you to our knitting ladies - Jennifer, Ginny and Erin - for continuing one of our longest running Monday Night Madness programs.

*Thank you to Regina Hiney for continuing the book club at Mary's Shelter every month!

*Thanks to the UMW students who babysat all year for us.  We look forward to seeing you again in the fall!  To all the graduates, we wish you luck in all your endeavors.

*Thanks to Dr. Sita Canady, pediatrician, who came in to speak to our ladies last weekend!

*Thanks to Colleen Beirne for the long-anticipated resume workshop!

*Thank you to our loyal intern, Marian.

*Thank you to Johanna Rubin and the Legion of Mary from St. Jude's for their weekly spiritual ministry to our ladies.  Such a blessing!

*Thank you to Dr. Matthew Storm for helping out with a dental emergency!

*A big "welcome back!" to Rita Pinion and a thank you to her fellow Boutique volunteers!

*Thank you to the youth group from Crossroads Vineyard Church!  They ripped up the bricks in one of our backyards and planted grass, cleaned up the play area, put resilient surfacing under the playhouse, and fixed the fence! 

*Thank you to Lorrie Schwinn and the St. Mary Confirmation Team 14 for an AMAZING job!  Here are some of the things they accomplished at three of our homes:
- the first season's weeding and mowing
- painted and stained furniture
- painted the front doors
-cleaned the porches and backyards
-removed all debris

  
Fulfill the Promise Campaign
Are you a part of the Mary's Shelter family? Our Fulfill the Promise campaign asks for just a small monthly donation. Could you commit to $20 a month to fund Mary's Shelter?  
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1234 Main Street, Awesomeville, MA · 555.555.5555