The community is invited to join Habitat for Humanity, the Joleen Matten Family, the Benedictine Sisters, and Essentia Health staff and physicians for the Dedication Ceremony of the 101st Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity house at 1 p.m. Nov. 22 at 1521 Maple St. in Brainerd.
This three-bedroom home was built with Joleen Matten and her three children in honor of Sister Vivian Arts, a Benedictine Sister who served at St. Joseph's Medical Center and also volunteered in the community. Sister Vivian was also one of the founding board members of Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity.
"Sister Vivian saw a need in her community and worked to meet that need," says Sister Beverly Horn, a Benedictine sister who serves on St. Joseph's board and co-chair of the 101st Habitat House project, in a news release. "Like the late Sister Vivian, employees joining the Habitat project are living out the Benedictine values of justice, stewardship and respect."
Dr. Peter Henry, emergency physician at St. Joseph's Medical Center and Chief Medical Officer for Essentia's Central Region, was impressed by the community outpouring of support for the family and for the project and by how willingly Essentia employees donated time and money. "Various departments volunteered as a team to help build the house," Henry said. "The whole process has built camaraderie within departments and strengthened connections between Essentia and the community."
The House Dedication will be a brief ceremony beginning at 1:15 p.m. that includes: welcome and introductions, opening prayer, blessing of the home and family, reflection on legacy of Sister Vivian Arts, presentation of gifts, presentation of keys, family comments.
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Tours of the home will be available as well as light refreshments.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Essentia Health's contributions to the project which included 176 volunteers who gave 741 volunteer hours and $80,000 raised through 55 individual donors, Lakes Area Medical Development Association, St. Joseph's Foundation, and in-kind contributions which all helped make this home possible," said Dr. Dave Boran, Essentia Health Family Medicine physician at Crosslake Clinic and co-chair of the 101st Habitat House project. This work was done alongside Joleen Matten and her family who gave more than 400 hours of labor to building this home with more than 250 hours coming from additional Habitat for Humanity and community volunteers.
