EJC Staff and Community

Kate Kirbie, Interim Executive Director Sarah Ronnevik, Program and Communications Coordinator

S. Janet Weyker, OP, Volunteer CoordinatorS. Christin Tomy, Racine Area Youth

Farm Corps DirectorMichael Raschke, Maintenance Assistant

S. Rose Marie Dischler, OPS. Kathleen Bohn, OP

S. Mary Ann Weyker, OP

EJC Board Members

Charlie Tennessen, PresidentRose Woodruff, Vice-PresidentS. Rosalie Lauer, OP, Secretary

Jeanne Gramza, TreasurerS. Jean Ackerman, OP

Tiffany BehrendsEric Carlberg

Marilynn PelkyS. Sharon Simon, OP

Robin SmerchekS. Jane Weiss, OP, Sponsorship Office

“Rooted in Hope” Racine Dominican Eco-Justice Center

Summer 2016 Vol. 11 Issue 1 Issued biannually

Vision:Justice for Earth

Mission:Environmental education and care of Earth in the context of community, contemplation,

creativity, and cultivation

Values:Conservation, Education,

and Sustainability

For Programs & Tours:262-681-8527

info@ecojusticecenter.orgwww.ecojusticecenter.org

For Hermitage Reservations:262-898-2581 (day)

262-681-2146 (evenings)

Office Hours:Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Grounds Open: Mon - Sat 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sunday 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Kate Kirbie, Interim Executive Director

Continued TransitionIn April, the Board of the Eco-Justice Center named Kate Kirbie Interim Executive Director. Kate came to the Eco-Justice Center in 2012, ini-tially as part of the Dominican Volunteer USA pro-gram, and then took the position of Assistant to the Director in 2013. During this time, she has been involved in every aspect of the Center’s ac-tivities. Kate has lived at the Center for the past 3 years and has excelled at running programs, teaching children about Care of Earth, and pro-moting the Center in the Racine area.Since moving to Racine from South Bend, IN, Kate has truly enjoyed getting to know the Eco-Justice Center volunteers, Racine Dominican Sisters, and

It Takes a TeamA message from the President

As most of you already know, in late April we regretfully accepted the resignation of our Executive Director. Since then, the load of Eco-Justice Center work has tripled, at least. Wow! This transition has led to unexpected challeng-es, and unexpected opportunities.

As you will see from the articles, pictures, and information in this flyer, the Center is as strong as ever and moving for-ward on all fronts. This could not have been done without the contribution of the remarkable people who make up our very special organization. I want to take this space to say thank you to everyone who has stepped forward in this time of transition, especially our Board, our Interim Director, KateKirbie, the Racine Dominicans, and our indefatigable

Charlie Tennessen,Board President

founder and super-volunteer, Sister Janet Weyker. The Eco-Justice Center owes all of you a great deal.

Welcome Sarah RonnevikWe are excited to welcome Sarah Ronnevik as the new Program and Communications Coordinator at the Eco-Justice Center. Sarah graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN with a Bachelor of Arts in Communi-cations and Language Arts and earned her Minnesota State Teaching License in 2006. After moving to Racine in 2014, Sarah worked for the Racine Family YMCA as a Before & After-School Lead Teacher and at Pinehold Gardens as the Worker-Share Manager. Sarah brings ex-cellent experience to the Eco-Justice Center as well as passion for cooking, food preservation, yoga, and simple living. Sarah Ronnevik, Program and

Communications Coordinator

the community of south eastern Wisconsin. In August, Kate will be leaving the Eco-Justice Center to attend school at the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, following her passion for Montessori Education. She is thankful for the support of the dedicated Board and vol-unteers of the Eco-Justice Center.

Wish ListCloth fabricVariegated yarnCrochet hooksGarden rakes and trowelsLarge garden cartWork glovesTacky glueCooking utensilsHP #61 ink cartridgesElectric pencil sharpener“Forever” postage stampsSmall snow blowerIvory dish soapCloth napkinsWool sweatersSpongesWild bird seedLarge quantity of stackable plastic soup bowls

Donors: Dec. 2015 - May 2016 We are grateful! Robert & Margaret AgnewTerrance & Anne AndersonGlenn & Charlotte ArendtS. Yvonne ArnoldiJoyce BallwegRoger & Mary BeahmKathryn BehlingJon & Tiffany BehrendsJim & Kay BlankenheimAllen BratkowskiBetty BrennemanLloyd & Pat BreunigJames BucksonCarole BurzynskiDouglas BushLinda BushaLaurie CarlbergDoris CarlsonKatherine CarsonRobert & Nancy ChrittonMary CihaDennis & Julie CrawfordCol. Richard & Mildred DaltonHelene DederichJoe DickmanSr. Mary Louise DolanRobert DuthieRonald EithSteve & Faye EndesTrudy FarrellDavid FawverNicolas & Nicole FelderRichard FlackJanet FullerKathryn GarskiJean GfallMichael & Ann GillisRob & Paula Danke GiombettiJohn & Jean GramzaEd & Beth GrawelDennis & Patricia GreenSharon GuetzlaffDoug & Catherine GundlachFr. Byron HaalandFrank HallTom & Catherine HeinenNancy HennessyRobert & Carolyn HenryDavid HetzelThoma & Deloris HilgendorfAnne KarrelsAlvina KavanaghThomas & Carol Jean KellerGenevieve KiklasRonald & Sandra KlitzJerome & Nancy KruseMargaret LaRosePam LidingtonSherry LiuJudy LynchTodd & Jennifer LynchTom & Nadine LynchPaul MahdasianJordan & Leah MartoneWendy McCalvyS. Pat McCormickMary Anne McCoyMichael & Marge McCoyElizabeth McGowanBonnie McGuineErin McLaughlinMichael MeierMartin MeissnerJames & Carol Meverden

Summer InternSarah Reed, also known as “H,” brings her lively spirit as a summer intern. Sarah is an applied environmental geog-raphy major at UW-Parkside and will be assisting with soil study, invasive species re-moval, caring for the medicine wheel garden, forest restora-tion, and summer camp at the Eco-Justice Center.

Farm CorpsWith four high school students, two part-time crew leaders, and hundreds of plants in the ground, it’s shaping up to be a great inaugural summer for the Racine Area Youth Farm Corps! S. Christin Tomy has taken the role of Farm Corps Program Director, while Martice Scales, an aspir-ing homesteader, and Kelsey Welter, an intern from UW Parkside, are our enthusiastic and dedi-cated crew leaders.Our high school crew consists of: Miach’la Ham-ilton (Park), Kaitlin Maranger (Horlick), Michael Hamilton (Park) and Ariel Dallia (Walden III). Crew members have gathered for two evening

Pizza BakeOn Thursday, May 26, we welcomed the com-munity to our first pizza bake utilizing our new outdoor brick oven. The brick oven was built by Charlie Tennessen and S. Christin Tomy last fall, and funded by the Kurt Hauser Memorial Fund. In two hours, after getting the oven to 850 de-grees, we served over 50 handmade, individual pizzas including toppings such as mushrooms,

S. Christin Tomy prepares to transfer a recently fired pizza at the Spring Pizza Bake.

RAYFC crew leader, Martice Scales, works with two crew members to transplant tomatoes.

Sarah Reed walks the alpacas.

onions, and even the invasive gar-lic mustard. Our next Brick Oven Pizza Bake will be Thursday, Septem-ber 8, 2016.

orientations / works sessions, which included transplanting in the rain! Farm Corps aims to educate students in organic farming, leadership, job, and life skills, while addressing inequity in our food system. We will sell our produce and offer cooking demonstra-tions in food desert areas in Racine. Look for us at the WIC farmer’s market, the West Racine Wednesday market, and at a small produce stand at the EJC during summer camp weeks.We are incredibly thankful for the support and guidance from Prairie Farm Corps in Grayslake, IL and our funders, Buhler, Inc., Sinsinawa Dominicans, Inc., and the UNFI Foundation, along with our hoop house funders, Racine Community Foundation and SC Johnson.

A section of a cut ash tree.

Emerald Ash BorerWe continue to remove a portion of our ash trees infected with the emerald ash borer; we have already taken down over 100. In their place, especially around our hermitage, we will be planting new bur oak, red maple, and plum trees.While we never expected to have the large number of infected trees on our property, we are taking the opportunity to remove other invasive plants, like buckthorn and honeysuckle. The ash tree section shown to the right just reminds us of the beauty nature presents in challenging situations.

Patricia MikeCorrine MlodzikFr. Richard MolterArthur & Marcine MolterPaul & Judy MoriartyWilliam & Cathy OdellDavid & Joann O’Hara

Fred & Kay Oomens Paul & Kathleen Pflieger Marilynn Pelky Gladys Peterson Ted & Shannon Pintaro Tom & Bonnie Prochaska Angela Purpura Tamra Radspinner Mark & Barbara Reckling Marilyn Rewolinski Helen Ring Catherine Rivest Mary Roach Kim Rodriguez-Buerman Ella Roth Antonia & Marcia Rottino Robin & Jan Ruhland Dick & Jane Bartells Ryan Patty Ryan-Meyer Marianne Sambar Michael Sauer Ronald Jr. & Dawn Meister Schomisch Eric Schumann Leroy & Carol Seeger Stephen & Ann Jordahl Sennott Robert Simon William Sklba Bruce Smedley Steven & Evelyn Hauser Smetana Nevada Smith Peter & Joann Speca Esther Staudenmayer Russel & Vivan Stetler Joann Sustachek Judy Szot Carol Tennessen Charlie Tennessen Kathryn Tennessen Allison Thielen Deason Glenn & Lucille Tylutki Lynnaue Urban Donald & Lina Volesky Vince & Janice Wardle Tom & Mary Ann McCoy Whalen Mary Wheeler Katherine Wieland Mary Wilmes Ann Wirtz Howard Wirtz Thomas & Patricia Wirtz Don & Rita Witynski Rose Woodruff Robert & Susan Yokel Bill & Ann Young Bruce Zahn Mary Ellen Zuther In Kind Donations: Bill Barr Lorraine Barr Andrew & Lisa Fellner Linda Groth Jan Jedlicka Marty Meissner Quota International of Kenosha/Racine William Sklba

We regret any errors or omissions.

Little LibrariesA pair of Little Free Libraries (LFL) now stand at the edge of the wild flower garden at the EJC. They are sponsored by Quota In-ternational Club of Kenosha-Racine and anyone who comes to the Center is encouraged to use the library. The idea of having LFLs at the EJC was initiated by the Club’s Community Service Committee as a means to encourage and promote reading for people of all ages.The taller book nook contains books more suited for adults and the shorter one has children’s books. These LFLs offer a way to share good things to read. People are invited to take a book and return a book; it can be returned to another Little Library or passed on to a friend. If you would like to help us stock our LFLs with some “good reads,” simply bring them to the Center.

LabyrinthOne aspect of our new site plan is the creation of a contemplative zone around the hermitage. This in-cludes a new walking labyrinth by the pond, where the original garden once was. The area is slightly shaded and surrounded by black walnut trees - not the best location for a garden. With support from the Fr. Joseph Cox Memorial Fund, Jerry Hershberger’s planning, and Sr. Janet’s guidance of volunteers to dig, flatten, lay gravel and lannon stone, and transplant native plants, the labyrinth is now complete and ready for visitors.

VolunteersThis spring we have been graced with individuals and groups of volunteers from a number of different schools and organizations. S. Janet, our faithful Volunteer Coordinator, has guided volunteers in serving over 3,000 hours since December. This includes creating the labyrinth, removing ash trees, preparing the gardens, leading educational tours, organizing camp ma-terials and much more. Summer is when we rely most on volunteers. If you are interested in serving at the Eco-Justice Center, contact S. Janet at janet@ecojusticecenter.org. Thank you!

Recent Donations from Foundations & Organizations Buhler, Inc. Corporation of New Melleray Divine Savior Healthcare Kiwanis of West Racine Morath Foundation Quota International of Kenosha/Racine Potpourri Garden Club Sinsinawa Dominicans, Inc. The Flack Team UNFI Foundation We Energies Foundation Memorials in Honor of: Fr. Joseph Cox Barbara Thompson

Newly built Little Free Libraries

For those who are not aware of the function of a walking labyrinth, this space is a mediation area for an individual to walk a simple path while reflecting on the joys, sorrows, and challenges of life. We hope that you will find the time to visit and enjoy a walk in the labyrinth.

S. Mary Ann Weyker guides a student in patching pants at our first Mending Bee.

The newly finished walking labyrinth created with funds from the Fr. Joseph Cox Memorial Fund.

Eco-Justice Center7133 Michna RoadRacine, WI 53402

Printed on recycled paper with soy ink.

This newsletter is available in color on line at www.ecojusticecenter.org

Tax deductible donations can also be made on line through Pay Pal on our website.

Fall FestivalSunday, Sept. 18th

11-4 pm.

10th Annual Fall FestivalLast year over 1,200 visitors and volunteers attended the Fall Festival. Sunday September 18th will mark our 10th year of welcoming the community to the Eco-Justice Center’s largest event and fundraiser. Join us from 11 am - 4 pm for family fun features such as live music, a petting zoo, bake sale, gift shop, “green-focused” silent auction, good food, children’s games, face painting, story time, and demonstrations. Give us a call at 262-681-8527 if you would like to donate an item for the silent auction, contribute baked goods, sponsor a tent, or volunteer to help with the Festival.At 4 pm the day of the Festival, we will announce the winner of our first annual sweepstakes, with a grand prize of $1,000. To enter the sweepstakes, fill out any or all of the enclosed tickets and return them in the enclosed envelop with your dona-tion to the Eco-Justice Center. More information about the sweepstakes can be found on the flyer insert.

A Racine Dominican ministry