by Julie Carpenter
For nearly two decades, Bob and Madge Erlenbaugh have shared their gifts, enriching the lives of Misericordia residents through music and their tireless leadership as volunteer choir directors for Misericordia’s Heartzingers Choir. The Heartzingers are a choir of 50 residents, led by Bob on guitar and Madge guiding residents who participate through sign language. It is a group that has found a common bond through music, forming a tight-knit family within the broader Misericordia family, for whom the choir’s music brings comfort, spiritual inspiration, joy and profound happiness.
by Linda Buchalo
An important part of the Community Day Services program, the Misericordia art department offers residents the chance to explore various forms of art. If you’ve attended the Artist in All event at the Art Institute, you know that Misericordia residents are bursting with creativity and that the staff in the art department have a knack for bringing out that talent.
by Kathryn Moery
Last August, Misericordia welcomed Katie Peterson as the director of the fourteen CILA homes located in Chicago and neighboring suburbs. What you may not know is that Katie has grown up with Misericordia. Misericordia runs in her family. Her husband, Evan is the QIDP at Shannon. They, along with their two young children, George and Joanna, lived at the Eisenberg home for three years. Her son was born on Family Fest day in 2016 and baby Joanna’s first home was Eisenberg. The Peterson family now lives a block away from Eisenberg, and remains close to the Eisenberg ladies.
Katie began with Misericordia as a volunteer while attending Loyola University. She moved into an internship at the Shannon Apartments during her senior year before graduating with a degree in Human Services. As an intern, she worked in programming and with the Shannon Apartments’ clubs. After a year in Boston, Katie returned to Misericordia where she worked as the assistant QIDP in the Rafferty Home and in Mercy Glen, before serving as the QIDP at Eisenberg for four years. Before her promotion to CILA Director, she was the Rafferty QIDP for four years.
by Judy Wall
In January 2021, it will be a full year since we first heard of a new virus posing a threat of contagion across the planet. We now each have a story of how this past year has impacted us physically, emotionally, and financially. But as Misericordia families, part of all our stories is the shared experience of a sudden and massive shift in our continuing journey with Misericordia.
Page 11 of 11