| Care Partners has been family for me for about 6 months now. From the start I’ve sensed a wonderful synchronicity in finding this position just as I had made the commitment to move to Grand Marais. I am now coming to appreciate the harmony of this place and the ways in which our comings and goings are woven into its beautiful song of service and care for our friends and neighbors. As we step into fall, our dear Martha has begun to make her own steps away from her role as the Senior Services Coordinator at CPCC. She has been an integral part of Care Partners for the past few years, and now looks forward to focusing on a new chapter with her family. You know her beautiful voice and her kind smile from the phone calls and interactions she has had with many of you… volunteers, clients, families, community partners. We have been blessed by her spirit of compassion and connection. Thank you, Martha for giving of yourself to each of us, and we hope you will stay close-by. Even before Martha shared her thoughts with me about taking this next step in her journey, I met Frances Zigmund, a young nursing student with an interest in gerontology. Frances and I were thinking about how she might partner with us to share her experience and passion… and as it turned out, this lovely breath of fresh air was in our midst just at the right time. Frances has begun training with Martha and will soon begin as our new Senior Rides and Chores Coordinator! We can’t wait to discover how her lively spirit will be woven into our “song.” And the beautiful harmony of this place continues. As many of you know, Marnie has been moving toward retirement for a while but just can’t seem to say goodbye!! 😊 This is a big decision for Marnie, with her big heart and the meaningful relationships she has developed with our clients and caregivers. Marnie’s role has brought her into an intimate and vulnerable space in many peoples’ lives as she has journeyed with them during times of challenge and transition over many years. We are grateful that Marnie will continue to be part of our Care Partners family this fall, although she will work fewer hours. As fate would have it, along came Betsy Blume – who retired from nursing last spring but was not quite ready to be finished serving our community. And so, this week Betsy has joined Care Partners, job-sharing with Marnie to provide care coordination and caregiver support to our friends and neighbors. We are so grateful for her spirit of compassion and wisdom, and we look forward to introducing you to her as well. She will add her own unique voice with ours, bringing depth and greater fullness to our organization. What is it about Care Partners that seems to encourage and inspire such harmonious happenings? I am becoming more and more aware of the deep caring and strong sense of mission that weave us together in the beautiful “work” of serving our Cook County elders and neighbors…and I look forward to seeing how this lovely place will continue to weave us together in our shared journey of aging. Julie Wilson Executive Director |
