The Blue Lotus Center

"I get by with a little help from my friends." ?????? When I wanted to design a neurodiversity apprenticeship program it was hard for me to know where to start. I personally had limited experience in supported employment and land management, so I turned to some of my friends and colleagues who were smarter than me and asked for advice. My first conversation was with Susan Winans, a long time friend and occupational therapist specializing in horticulture therapy. At the time, I pitched my nascent idea about hiring people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities to serve as land stewards at The Blue Lotus Center while we were out on a walk. Susan literally stopped in her tracks, turned to me, and said "please do it!" Opportunities for employment for her clients were limited mostly to janitorial and food service positions - good jobs, but inadequate for someone who prefers to be outdoors, using their muscles and digging their hands in the dirt. From there, I reached out to a list of other people I knew who were experts in their respective fields, including: ?? Land stewardship (Caitlin Reinartz and Jeff Veglahn) ?? Supported employment (Andrzej Walz-Chojnacki, Kaitlyn Kropidlowski, and Christa Markworth) ?? Landscaping (Brandon Mars) ?? Special education (Grace Mars) ?? Human resources (Cynthia Wade Zimmer) I also interviewed three young adults who could qualify as apprentices and their families so they could help shape the program from the beginning, but I'll keep their names private. Rounding out the list includes the staff and board at the Blue Lotus Center who asked good questions and gave good advice along the way. Together, this proved to be a remarkably smart bunch and I owe them a huge debt of appreciation for helping to guide this plan forward. Every piece of it was influenced by their thoughtful feedback and advice, and the final product was so much better thanks to their input than anything I could have accomplished on my own. Thanks, friends! Photo: Mike and Susan enjoying a mutual birthday celebration. Susan is one year and one day smarter than me. (Post 4 of 4 on Neurodiversity & Biodiversity)

Exciting news! The first thaw of snow has marked the beginning of our preparations for the trail around the pond, where we will be building a new boardwalk. The boardwalk project is contracted with Marek Landscaping, LLC. With the expertise of Marek's professionals and the dedication of our amazing volunteers, we are permanently removing invasive plant species, such as buckthorn, to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the boardwalk. It has been an exhilarating start to the week, and the weather has been incredibly cooperative! We are all eager to see the boardwalk project come to life. Stay tuned for updates!

Mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Blue Lotus Center Benefit Concert, Wednesday, May 7, at The Bend Theater. Listen to the jazzy, soulful sounds of Milwaukee’s own Robin Pluer, Freddy Bliffert and The Chris Hanson Band! Tickets on Sale Soon! To sponsor or donate: https://lnkd.in/gxGX4rDg Contact Gina Marx at 262.675-2473 or [email protected]?

Mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Blue Lotus Center Benefit Concert, Wednesday, May 7, at The Bend Theater. Listen to the jazzy, soulful sounds of Milwaukee’s own Robin Pluer, Freddy Bliffert and The Chris Hanson Band! Tickets on Sale Soon! To sponsor or donate: https://lnkd.in/gxGX4rDg Contact Gina Marx at 262.675-2473 or [email protected]?

Do you love the outdoors? Do you love working with people? Do you love being in a positive, fun, accepting environment? Then the Blue Lotus Center is the place you want to be this summer! We are looking for a Seasonal Program Specialist to assist with groups. This position works primarily with groups of adults, youth, families, and seniors with profound life challenges during their visit at the Blue Lotus Center. The Seasonal Program Specialist covers primarily weekend and evening shifts from April through October at an average of 10 hours/week. Start and end week can be flexible. Schedule will vary week to week and will be coordinated at least two to four weeks in advance. Compensation is $18/hour. Interested in joining our team? For more information and job description: https://lnkd.in/gqR5UkWn... Send cover letter and resume to Dianne Rinn [email protected] 262-675-2473 www.thebluelotuscenter.org

February is National Senior Independence Month! It is celebrated in February to recognize the independence of older adults and their contributions to society. It's time to share resources and learn how to help seniors live independently. At the Blue Lotus Center we serve many senior groups such as Community Projects for Seniors, Grace Commons, and Capri Communities just to name a few. We encourage them to take on new challenges or activities they may not have done for years or ever done before. Our guests enjoy being in the outdoors, exploring nature and trying new things. They seem to find a sense of independence and pride when they accomplish a new activity. It’s super heartwarming to witness, and if you sit down and ask how they are enjoying their day, you are bound to hear an incredible story! We make nature accessible to all seniors by offering a wide variety of activities for them to participate in. From fishing and boating off our accessible dock, swimming in our accessible pool, swinging on our accessible swings, riding a bike, taking a walk around the pond, or playing an instrument in our sound garden, there is always something new explore at the Blue Lotus Center. Our secluded setting can empower, encourage and inspire joy, even in the midst of daily struggles and challenges. Our group reservation calendar is open. If you are interested in booking your senior group, visit our website and check the availability calendar. https://lnkd.in/gPw3YrZw contact Dianne Rinn at [email protected] 262*675*2473 #BlueLotusCenter #mentalhealth #enjoylife #allabilities #kindnessmatters #naturalenvironment #outdoors #accessibility #therapeutic #selfcare #naturecenter #WestBend #naturelovers #recreational #volunteers #seniorindependencemont

24 students from the Zablocki Elementary School visited the The Blue Lotus Center in West Bend! The kids spent the day exploring the forests, meadows and wetlands – learning while engaging with the natural environment in a fun and active way. For many of the students, this was their first time visiting a nature center! ?? Thanks to our donors, we are able to connect youth to outdoor, nature-based learning experiences every year through our #GoOutsideFund. More about how donations to NRF make a difference for Wisconsin at WisConservation.org/Give ??: Ludys Ebratt #EnvironmentalEducation #FieldTrip #Donate #Fundraising

https://lnkd.in/gff9yGsQ

I love a good spreadsheet! ?? As our busy season at The Blue Lotus Center winds down, more time can be devoted to fun office tasks like creating the FY2025 budget! For most people this already sounds like a boring post, but there is a select number of us out there who love this stuff. The more complex, formula-filled, and well formatted the spreadsheet, the better! Luckily I found a kindred spirit in my board treasurer, Roger J Dickson, who shares my enthusiasm for Excel. He has put in dozens of hours helping me prepare our budget for the board, complete with tables, graphs and detailed summaries. These are some of the best spreadsheets I’ve ever seen, and they’re going to make life way easier for our staff next fiscal year. If you don’t have board members like these at your nonprofit, you should get some! Thanks, Roger!