Letters to the editor

Thank You to Driftless Explorers   On behalf of the Gateway to The Driftless organization and Black Earth Public Library, we want to thank all the kids and their “assisting adults” who took part in the Driftless Explorer Passport activity. The passports had 12 area parks or conservancies for kids to explore and learn more about the abundant natural resources that surround us. By exploring 4 or more of the sites, kids earned a free drink at Kwik Trip plus some “treasure” from the library. Those who explored 9 or more of the sites earned the free drink, a kid’s meal from the Cross Plains Culver’s and the library “treasure.” Getting to all the sites required the help of an “assisting adult” who earned a free book from the library and entry in a drawing for a certificate from Macker Backer or Trail Magic Coffee. This project was a rousing success as over 45 passports were picked up at the library with 10 Explorers earning the drink and kid’s meal. We hope all the Driftless Explorers enjoyed the activity as much as we did!   Peter Antonie, Gateway to The Driftless Vice-chairperson Bailey Anderson, Black Earth Library Director   Dear Editor:   September 12 – 18 is National Assisted Living Week.  This annual observance celebrates those who live in assisted living residences and the caring, dedicated staff members who serve them. As the owners and the management company of The Pines Senior Living in Prairie du Sac, we first want to thank our residents and their family members for giving us the opportunity to be of service to you.  We are privileged to walk beside you on your journey of aging. We also want to express our deep appreciation to Deb Pete, RN Campus Administrator; Amanda Jacobs, RN Care Coordinator; Kelly Breunig, Pine Glen Property Manager, and all of the resident assistants, administrative staff, activity staff, dietary staff, housekeepers and maintenance technicians who provide the highest quality of care to our residents every day.  We are so proud of your dedication and vigilance to keep our residents healthy, happy and engaged in joyful living.   Our frontline staff members are the heart and soul of The Pines Senior Living, and we’re always interested in speaking to people with a caring heart about joining our team.  We can’t provide high-quality services without high-quality people. Visit pinesprairiedusac.com or call 608-643-5433 to learn more about who we are, what we do and why we do it.  Find out how caring for others can change the way you see the world.     Greg & Carol Griffin, Owners, The Pines Senior Living David Griffin, President & CEO, ElderSpan Management, LLC   ---   St. Aloysius Church and School in Sauk City is joining in with volunteer efforts in Madison and around the world by involving students and parishioners in various pro-life opportunities during 40 Days for Life this fall. From September 22 to October 31, Madison and surrounding communities are uniting with the largest pro-life mobilization in history – the international 40 Days for Life campaign happening in a record number of 8,028 campaigns in all 50 states and 64 countries. Lives are being saved.  Across the nation, grandparents and parents are traveling to thank the prayer warriors for their past and continuing presence and for their babies who are now alive because of their prayers, and Madison is no exception to these stories of thankfulness, as the story below will show.   St. Aloysius is promoting the vigil in Madison and has also scheduled several additional local pro-life activities. Bishop Donald Hying has this to share, “There has never been a more efficacious, important and significant moment than right now for dedicated Christians and believers to stand up for the great cause of life.  To be pro-life without exception really embraces the ideal of Christ in His Church”. 40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign that has generated measurable lifesaving results. The 40 Days for Life campaign is made up of three key components: Prayer and Fasting:  inviting people of faith throughout the diocese to join together for 40 days of fervent prayer and fasting for an end to abortion.  The two go hand in hand.  Christ said that some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting.  Pray for the desire to carry out God’s will.  Pray outside an abortion facility.  Pray at church.  Pray at work.  Pray in your car.  Pray at home with your family.  Fasting is a sacrifice that helps us reach beyond our own limitations with God’s help.  It is also a powerful means of drawing closer to God by blocking out distractions.  Fast from certain foods, from TV, alcohol, coffee, or anything that helps in this form of physical prayer. Peaceful Vigil: join in the visible, public centerpiece of 40 Days for Life in a focused, 40-day, non-stop, round-the-clock prayer vigil outside Planned Parenthood, 3706 Orin Rd., Madison.  It is a peaceful and educational presence. Those who are called to stand witness during this 24-hour-a-day presence send a powerful message to the community about the tragic reality of abortion. It also serves as a call to repentance for those who work at the abortion center and those who patronize the facility.  For more information contact Gwen @ 608-393-8545 or info@vigilforlife.org  Community Outreach:  taking a positive, upbeat pro-life message to every corner of our world through media efforts, church presentations, and public visibility.  More than 4,000 news stories have been featured in newspapers, magazines, radio shows and TV programs from coast to coast and overseas.  This makes it possible to get the pro-life message out to many people who would never see the inside of a local church. St. Aloysius Church at 115 Madison St. in Sauk City and St. Aloysius School is promoting 40 Days for Life by praying at the Madison vigil and by hosting special scheduled prayer opportunities for all who wish to join together in prayer.   The St. Aloysius shift at the Madison peaceful vigil at Planned Parenthood is every Monday 4 - 5 p.m.  Please contact Nick & Kay Ringelstetter at 608-544-5131 if questions. There will be a pro-life rosary before all 4:30 p.m., 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. weekend Masses at St. Aloysius church during 40 Days for Life. Friday, Oct. 1 at 8:15 a.m.: 3rd through 5th grade students and their teachers will pray the prolife rosary following Mass.  The school children are also planning special prayers and activities during the campaign. Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 6:00 p.m.:  Prolife rosary recited around bonfire at St. Aloysius School with all Elementary, Middle School and High School Religious Education students, teachers and parents.  Rain date is Oct. 20.  Students will also be joining in prolife prayers in their classrooms and are planning additional community service projects. Saturday, Oct.16 at 11:00 a.m. – Spanish-English rosary with intention for the unborn outside at statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Memorial to the Unborn. The rosary is prayed every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. at Durward’s Glen with the added intention for the unborn during 40 Days for Life.  The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass follows at 8:00 AM. In addition to these scheduled dates, parishioners are being encouraged to privately pray the pro-life rosary in the Adoration Chapel or in church. All are invited to join in these special prayer opportunities and be rewarded in multiple ways, some even visible.  Recently, a woman stopped in front of Planned Parenthood, rolled down her window, and told volunteers who were praying, “Because of you, I have my daughter.”  She then rolled down the vehicle’s back window, revealing a blonde girl with braces, a big smile, and a friendly wave! Mother Teresa of Calcutta states, “Abortion is profoundly anti-women.  Three quarters of its victims are women: half the babies and all the mothers”.   More information on this power of prayer can be found at www.40daysforlife.com.