Journaling at The K…Keeler’s Women’s Center

Keeler  Women’s Center, Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas

Find the time.  Visit the website. Visit the center.  Meet the women of Keeler, Benedictine Sisters and volunteers.  Consider your time, talent and treasure.  I love this place.  You will love this place.

Pat Callaghan is the true expert, trained to facilitate classes in journaling.   Some months ago, she welcomed my participation in a teaching experience  at Donnelly College.  Today we began an ongoing journaling experience at Keeler Women’ Center.

Sister Carol Ann approved our request for time and space.  She, Sister Barbara and Sister Bridget offer gracious acceptance to everyone at Keeler.  They have the gift of validation.  Martha is typical of the strong connection that volunteers feel for The Center where she has worked every Monday for six years.  In addition, Martha volunteers as literacy teacher through a program facilitated at Keeler.

It was a privilege to share the journaling hour.   Our group was small but my learning was great.  These women have wisdom to share, insights to enrich.  Though the group originally scheduled to meet once a month,  the decision to gather every two weeks came easily today.

Our group is informal.  We welcome and encourage both regular participation and drop-in participants.  Check your calendars for 9:30 to 10:30 on the second and fourth Monday of the month.   Communication is a truly fantastic tool for personal growth.

Kansas City Kansas Women’s Chamber of Commerce

Some months ago, three of the Four Ordinary Women did an author event at Keeler Women’s Center in Kansas City, Kansas.  It was wonderful.  Sister Carol Ann Petersen invited us to Keeler.  She was instrumental in our being invited to the Kansas City, Kansas Women’s Chamber of Commerce meeting today March 10, 2010.

Because I had spent the morning at St. John The Baptist Senior Group, I did not have time nor energy to become nervous about speaking to the Chamber.  Finished lunch set-up for the Seniors and dashed to the YWCA in Kansas City, Kansas.

What a beautiful and welcoming facility.  And it kept getting better as the gathering continued.  We talked at the table, smiling  about Keeler Women’s Center being our first and one of our  most memorable author events.

Kate Fields of Habitat for Humanity introduced us.  Patti and I did a mutual double gulp when few raised hands responded to our query about those having read the book.  Two women in the audience had read Four Ordinary Women. Usually, the readers have lots of question and comments so Patti and I knew it was time to peddle a bit faster.

We should not have worried.  This audience was  very supportive, smiling, nodding and laughing especially at Patti’s great reading of her chapter titled “Marriage”.  Talk about speaker-to-audience communication.

This group of women, a wonderful audience, not only gave us focused attention but they offered suggestions and possibilities for other speaking engagements.  Their generosity just kept giving.

If you, Gentle Reader, are a Dotte, original or just lucky, I would encourage you to become part of the Women’s Chamber.   And now Patti and I have two most memorable author events.  Our thanks to everyone who attended.