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Serving
Allied Dunns Marsh Neighborhoods and Beyond
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It is true that all things must change. When the Allied Partners, a coalition of faith communities active in the Allied neighborhood, decided that they wanted to start a wellness center and hired me as a community parish nurse almost 6 years ago, we weren't sure how this center was going to unfold. We knew that we wanted to have a positive presence in the neighborhood and to promote wellness, wholeness and healing. It has been such a joy and privilege getting to know the community and walking with people- sometimes at the lowest point of their lives, sometimes celebrating successes, but most often simply being a part of helping to meet the day to day demands of life and health. A year ago I knew that there could be more for Allied than what I as an individual could provide, or more than what the Wellness Center had the capacity to offer. I decided that at the end of June, I no longer would be working in the same way at the Allied Wellness Center and have helped to hatch a new vision. Rumor is that I am retiring, but that's not quite accurate. However, there is going to be a change! In order to offer the full extent of programs and activities that are really needed, the Allied Dunns Marsh Neighborhood Association, the Dunns Marsh Neighborhood Association, Dane County Time Bank, Madison Apprenticeship Program (MAP), the Allied Wellness Center and residents in the neighborhood have a vision of developing a Co-op together. Co-ops are created for and by their members, the members serve the co-op and the co-op serves the members. This co-op would offer services and educational offerings that members would help make happen. For example several men in the neighborhood are interested in forming a fishing group. By belonging to the co-op, they will have help to make this happen and in turn it would be one of the offerings that other members can participate in. In order to be a member of the co-op, you would have to participate in something, whether it's a class, volunteering, leading a program, community event, or other things that will be developed- based on YOUR interests! We are still early on in the planning process and we need YOU to get involved and make this happen. We meet every first Tuesday of the month at 11AM at the JFF Center, 2225 Allied Dr #3, if you want to participate but can't make the meetings, please contact Susan at 274-7006. What do these changes mean for you? 1. You will have more opportunities to improve the health of YOUR community! 2. Susan the community parish nurse will not be staffing the Wellness Center after June., it will instead be staffed by a community health liaison who will:
Susan Corrado, RN,MSN Community Parish Nurse |
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Watch Allied GrowAllied residents have been exchanging their time and talents - helping out the Wellness Center, Neighborhood Assn., tutoring kids, giving rides, getting services for themselves like computer help, classes, etc. - through the Dane County TimeBank service exchange and community building program. At "Maxine's" TimeBank Store (2225 Allied Dr. lower lobby), named in memory of an Allied resident who was instrumental in getting the store going, neighbors are trading in the time they earn for clothes, toys, books, dishes and more. TimeBank, along with the Allied Dunns Marsh Neighborhood Association, the Allied Wellness Center, Madison Apprenticeship Program (MAP), and the Dunns Marsh Neighborhood Association are working toward developing a social cooperative that will provide personal and community development activities and job skill building programs. On Saturday May 22nd, from 12-3 there will be a cook out and activities outside the JFF office on Allied Drive, to highlight this effort. A container garden project is one of these activities. Residents in each side of an apartment building interested in having a container for their building can sign up for one and choose whether they want to grow flowers, herbs or vegetables in their container. Each building will be responsible for caring for their plants. There will also be four larger containers with vegetables at Head Start, Learning Center, Revival Ridge and Prairie Crossing where a portion of the vegetables will be donated to the food pantry or programs in the neighborhood. There is NO COST for your building's container garden. It is our hope that the residents in every building will work together to keep their building's garden beautiful, which, in turn, will help make our community more beautiful and more healthy. These containers will be ready for folks to plant and decorate at the cook out, and then be distributed to the apartment buildings. There will be a chance to learn why it is important to belong to a neighborhood association, what wellness activities are available to participate in at the Wellness Center, how TimeBank works, and how MAP can change your life! There will be a reading corner for kids, and good community fun to be had. Sign up now for your building's container and plants, and come to a cook out on Saturday May 22, 12-3pm at the JFF Center to get your plants and to learn more about the co-op idea. Come watch Allied grow!
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What
do you enjoy eating fresh in the summer? Do you and your
family enjoy fresh vegetables and herbs? Any of the following plants will
grow in a container:
