Giving Day is February 27th
FAIRFIELD—Mark your calendars for Giving Day 2020 on Thursday, February 27.
Saint Catherine Center has participated in the annual, one-day, online fundraising initiative since 2016, attracting new supporters each year. In 2019, we surpassed our goal. This year, in celebration of the upcoming 5th Anniversary of the Adult Program, our Giving Day goal is to raise $25,000 from at least 100 donors.
Funds raised support the many activities of the Adult Program, from TheaterWorks each week with Mr. Matt, to bowling and special outings like the recent Sound Tigers hockey game at Webster Bank Arena. These activities are so important to our young adults, offering the opportunity to learn new things, develop friendships, and be out in the community.
Hosted by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, Giving Day sparks friendly competition for donations, but more importantly raises awareness about the important work of nonprofit organizations across Fairfield County. More than 415 nonprofits participated in the event last year.
Please watch for our emails on February 27th. We hope you will participate and encourage your friends, family, and co-workers to join you. Thank you for your support!
Celebrating Catholic Schools Week
“Living in Harmony” was Saint Catherine Academy’s theme for Catholic Schools Week. Schools across the U.S. observe the last week in January with Masses and activities that recognize the value of Catholic education. Our classes created collages that reflected living in harmony with our neighbors, through the generations, with the earth, and in our school. Students and staff had fun and got to know each other better by wearing something “favorite” or “funny” each day, from Funny Hat Day to Favorite Sports Shirt Day.
At the end of the week, participants in the Adult Program prepared a lunch of ziti, meatballs, and salad for everyone in the Center to share together. Lunch was followed by a lively dance party, in which a lot of joy and some surprising dance skills were revealed. We look forward to more events like this where the Academy and Adult Program come together as a community.
“I Had a Good Day”
One of participants in the Adult Program often ends her day saying, “I had a good day.” Sometimes it’s a definitive statement; sometimes it is a question—Did I have a good day? While not all days are perfect, there are many more “good days” at Saint Catherine Center than not.
Perhaps this is because we look at success from the point of view of what can be done, rather than focusing on obstacles. This is not a denial of the very real challenges faced by each student and young adult we serve, but a different way of approaching those challenges—with individual attention, redirection, empathy, creativity, and teamwork.
Making progress in small increments and pausing to recognize that progress is key. Each day, something new happens. Sami swims all the way to the edge of the pool; Frank completes every problem on his math worksheet; Lindsy perfects her Tree pose in yoga class; Nyah types her name on the iPad for the first time; Owen tries the Smartboard. A sense of pride spreads throughout the Center as each individual’s success is shared. That is the feeling of a “good day,” and we are always grateful for them.
