In her own words …

Coming from a farm near Nekoosa, Wisconsin, I was touched in my earliest years by a love for the earth, gardening and the woodlands and that love took root deeply within me! Franciscan Sisters of our Order came to my home parish and they were an inspiration to me, fostering a desire to give my life to God in service of others.

Rapidly that desire took form, and after my entrance into the convent in 1954, my service took on many capacities; ultimately, in ministry to people with developmental delays.  I’ve supervised woodworking workshops with our clients, worked with them developing skills in gardening, and assisted them in running and managing a restaurant!  All the while, I was blessed with being able to care for the earth.

                I became interested in basket making and with the guidance of an experienced weaver of baskets, some clients and I were off and weaving! We learned as we went and helped each other with difficult parts. I enjoy sharing my skills as they have developed and now, in retirement, I am teaching basket making to some of my OSF Sisters. Basket making has become an enjoyable, creative hobby for me. I now enjoy creating new designs and dying the reeds in various new combinations. I am so happy to see a variety of my baskets displayed in our Cornerstone Gift Shop and online through Poverello Creations. I appreciate being able to generate sales that help our Sisters. I am proud to be part of this endeavor.