Volunteers are painting a bright future…

In December, Lea Davis, the Human Resources Manager at Triumph Fabrications-San Diego reached out to St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center (SMSC). Triumph Fabrications is a local manufacturer of complex aerospace components.  Mrs. Davis explained that Triumph Group, Inc. encourages each of their individual companies to contribute to and support their local communities. This year, SMSC was chosen as the beneficiary of the Triumph Fabrications – San Diego’s service project.

When asked how St. Madeleine’s was chosen, Mrs. Davis explained that SMSC was nominated by one of Triumph Fabrications – San Diego’s employees and Mrs. Davis said she often sees our buses around her neighborhood picking up students.  After touring the Center, Triumph Fabrications – San Diego’s Community Project Assessment Team selected several projects that would enhance the campus for our students. The first was to repaint our multipurpose room.

On February 8th, twelve Triumph Fabrications staff arrived at 7:00 am with all the equipment and skills necessary to repaint our 2,700 square foot multipurpose space. In less than 5 hours, the entire project was completed; this included the walls washed, tape along the door way removed, and furniture returned to its area.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Triumph Fabrications- San Diego team and to Mrs. Davis for her efforts in coordinating this event.  Their generous gift of staff time, talent, and materials saved St. Madeleine’s thousands of dollars and that was just the beginning. The group expects to return this month to start beautifying a garden space that will include a water fountain and pergola.

If you have any interest in volunteering, or know of someone who might want to volunteer his/her time to complete a project at St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, please contact Jessica Dolliver, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator at jdolliver@stmsc.org or 619-442-5129 ext. 333.

TriumphVolunteerPainters                                         TriumphVolunteersPainting

Birds, Animals & Humans I Admire

Sophie’s Kensington Gallery & Kensington Gallery

Birds, Animals & Humans I Admire

Reception Saturday, March 1, 5-8 PM
4186 Adams Avenue, San Diego, CA 92116

Open: Tuesday 12-5 PM
Wednesday – Saturday 12 – 7 PM / Sunday 12-4 PM

For further information call 619-534-8120 or 619-593-2205
sophiesgallery@stmsc.org
www.stmsc.org / www.KensingtonGallery.org

Joe Nyiri arrived in San Diego in 1962 armed with degrees in art and education from the University of Wisconsin. He quickly made a name for himself in the local art scene as he created Modernist inventive sculptures incorporating automobile bumpers, pipes and other found metal objects. Joe quickly earned a reputation as one of the area’s top sculptors. He also held a position of teacher-art consultant with the San Diego Unified School District and was an art instructor at the San Diego Zoo. Nyiri is comfortable with a variety of media including painting, airbrush and printmaking and has exhibited with the Allied Craftsman for over 40 years.

Please join Sophie’s Kensington Gallery & Kensington Gallery as we welcome local artist Joe Nyiri.

Come meet the artist at our collaborative public reception Saturday, March 1 from 5-8 PM.

400+ Reasons Why You Should Start the New Year off With a Gift

Each year, many of us begin the New Year with a list of resolutions. Some of the most popular resolutions includelose weighteat healthier,quit smoking, and volunteer to help others.

St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center is providing you with an opportunity to help you achieve at least one of your goals – volunteer to help others. The Center is always looking for time, talent, and treasure. Here are just a few ways that you can volunteer to help others:

  • Volunteer Your Treasure. Make a one-time or recurring tax-deductible gift to the Center’s Annual Fund. The Center has an annual funding gap of $2,000 per student. The Center relies on gifts from friends and supporters to help bridge this gap. You can donate online, mail a check to the Center, or contact Kellye Buchanan at (619) 442-5129 ext. 332 or email Kellye at kbuchanan@stmsc.org. Tax ID is 95-1957332.
  • Volunteer your Time. The Center is always in need of volunteers to help with a variety of activities and events. For more information, contact Jessica Dolliver at (619) 442-5129, ext. 333 or jdolliver@stmsc.org.
  • Volunteer your Talent. The Center is always looking to reduce expenses. If you own a business or have skills that can assist the Center in some way, contact Laura Purdom at (619) 442-5129 ext. 110 or email Laura at lpurdom@stmsc.org.  Examples of services needed include painting, gardening, and general repairs just to name a few.

We invite you to check off one of your New Year’s Resolutions by making a gift of Volunteering to Help Others. Whether it’s Time, Talent, and/or Treasure, your gift benefits 400+ adult students with developmental disabilities at St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center.

Click here to send your gift TODAY.

“Honoring the past . . . funding the future”

Honoring the past . . .  funding the future . . .

For Anne Thunder, St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center is a home away from home. Having attended nearly all of her adult life and part of her childhood, the Center has been a kindred place for Anne and her mother, Mrs. Genevieve Thunder, who helped launch St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center.

The 11th of 14 children of Joseph and Genevieve Thunder, Anne was born with Down syndrome. Anne’s older sisters had attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart where Mrs. Thunder met Rev. Mother Mary Mardel. Because of this connection, Mrs. Thunder and other mothers of children with special needs joined Rev. Mother Mary Mardel in creating a new school to prepare special needs children called St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center School for Exceptional Children. The new school was opened by the Religious of the Sacred Heart in January 1966, where Anne was one of the first few students.

Anne Prom Queen_smIn 1975, a new federal law (the Lanterman Act) mandated that the public school system assume responsibility for training these young students.  Anne was soon enrolled in Madison Elementary. After graduating from El Cajon Valley High School where she was crowned Prom Queen, Anne came back to the school now called – St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center – a Day Training Center for adults with developmental disabilities.

Today, Anne comes to the Center five days a week where she enjoys Sophie’s Gallery Art Program, gardening, and swimming.

Fast forward to 2013 — nearly 50 years after St. Madeleine’s opened.

Today, St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center is a day program for over 400 adult students. Now more than ever, families and care providers of adults with developmental disabilities are seeking a safe place where their loved ones can spend their days continuing to learn and express themselves through art, music, dance, culinary arts, gardening, aquatics and fitness, job training and supported employment and much more.

Stephanie Monis, age 22, has been at SMSC for two years.photo

At 3 years old, Stephanie showed early signs of delayed development. The Children’s Developmental Evaluation Center diagnosed Stephanie with Autism.  Due to her parents’ continuous concern and involvement in Stephanie’s well-being, she was enrolled in a speech intensive therapy program to increase her verbal skills. Additionally, Steve and Cheri (Stephanie’s parents) enrolled Stephanie in the best programs throughout San Diego County.

After repeated, brief (albeit serendipitous) encounters with St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, Cheri finally toured the campus as Stephanie approached enrollment age.  After the tour, Cheri knew St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center was the place for Stephanie because it was the “perfect match” for what Stephanie needed, which was a safe environment that would allow her to experience and express herself beyond academic achievement.

Today, Stephanie enjoys Sophie’s Gallery Art Program, drama, swimming, sign language, yoga and most of all, singing in the choir. In addition to loving these classes, Stephanie gets to be herself. Cheri says, “Stephanie has become more self-confident and independent since she’s been at St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center. She has blossomed into a beautiful young adult with dreams and aspirations.”

Stephanie&AnneDevelopmental Disabilities are not going away. We are asking YOU to honor the past and invest in the future TODAY with a gift of at least $100.  However, no gift is too small.   Every gift counts . . .  every gift matters . . . in the lives of adults with developmental disabilities. Send your gift TODAY in the enclosed envelope or donate online by visiting www.stmsc.org.

Thank you in advance for supporting Anne, Stephanie and the 400+ students with developmental disabilities who attend St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center  . . .  and for the many students in years to come!

P.S. Today, our per-student funding gap is $2,000.  Donations to our annual appeals are an important source of gap funding. Will you please consider a gift of $100 or more?  Donations received by December 31, 2013 qualify for a tax deduction and will be listed in our 2013 list of supporters. Our Tax ID number is: 95-1957332.

P.P.S. Looking for a different gift option? Consider a planned gift such as a bequest or estate gift. Contact us today if you are considering a planned gift. Let us recognize your caring generosity as a member of our Legacy Circle. Contact Kellye Buchanan, Development Coordinator, TODAY at (619) 442-5129 ext. 332 for more information, or if you’ve already left SMSC in your will or estate.