I've been very busy. I've woven workouts in between family life, work, travel and celebrating my mom's work - as the Director of the People Place in Ames, Iowa. She is retiring and her last day is February 28, 2011! She influenced my own work and family life in many different ways - she is my super-hero - and this celebration covers my contributions for the month of February!
MY MOM IS MY SUPER-HERO!
In a recent conference in Washington, DC, we were given a task to identify our own strengths and convey them in “Super-Hero” language and gestures. This is how I became “ENTHUSIASTIC CONCEPTUALIZER GIRL” which I belted in my largest voice with raised arms, emulating “ELASTA-GIRL” from the recent animation film The Incredibles.
My Mom and the People Place have been our SUPER-HEROs significantly influencing every one of us in diverse ways throughout our lives.
• My Mom’s first Super-Hero quality is EMPATHETIC WORLDVIEWER!
When we were in Elementary School, Mom wanted us to understand and reflect on the richness in our own lives, by acquainting us with poverty first-hand. One day a week, we would eat brown rice all day so that we could relate to people who do not have our riches, such as high-quality nutritional foods. The money saved from meals prepared that day, was sent to support organizations combating poverty or starvation around the world. I remember feeling a few pangs of hunger, and a little embarrassment, by my school lunch - a thermos of brown rice. However, as a young person I came to better understand the needs of others, and that Mom’s brilliance and guidance was helping develop my character.
I also remember one Christmas day in particular, working with my brother and sister to pack and deliver 4 grocery bags of food to a family who had just begun to participate in People Place activities, and who had no money or food over the holidays. We did this often, but in this case, I vividly remember the inside of the home we visited, where it was located in Ames, and the personal thank yous and hugs of the receiving family. These memories bubble over, when I think of the impact of Mom and of the People Place, on our lives.
Reflecting on these experiences stirs up the deep connections I made as a young person, to the needs of others around the world as well as to those of people living right in my own backyard. What a concept for a young person to learn first-hand!
• My Mom’s second Super-Hero quality is CREATIVITY SPARKLER!
The germ of an idea that became People Place first blossomed when Mom served on a parenting committee with then Ames’ Superintendent of Schools – Lou Kizer. She wrote a note to Lou in the meeting, and he nodded with great interest in her idea to develop a new parent resource center in Ames. That was the spark that started People Place!
There were many other opportunities to experience Mom’s Creativity Sparklers:
a) In planned weekly family activities – such as regular walks traversing Ames’ natural places. During one such walk we collected elderberries to make Elderberry Pie, though learned very quickly when our mouth puckered, that raw elderberries are quite sour.
b) In family meetings, appropriately named Friday Night Affairs, we addressed current family issues such as the next week’s schedule, teenager curfew, homework, the new style of clothes (bell bottoms), etc.
c) In the children’s stories she wrote, she lifted up each of our strengths. I still remember the story she wrote for my sister – who was at home sick for several days – about the little squirrel whose daily activities brought cheer and laughter.
d) She practiced parenting effectiveness skills on every family member all the time. We also became extremely adept at recognizing it, often responding to her: “Mom, you’re using PET on me!”
• My Mom’s third Super-Hero quality is ULTIMATE VISIONARY!
Since the beginning, Mom’s vision of the People Place has always been focused on prevention. The idea is that if families and parents get assistance up-front, in the areas of parenting, child care, work skills, nutrition, family life enrichment, the future challenges that any one individual or family experiences will be easier to handle, or even avoided. What an idea! To invest in the future? To invest in parents and in families, up front?
Mom told us about people who gained their first work experience while at the People Place, learned how to put together a resume and went back out into the job force. We met many people who came through a particular People Place program, and ended up working or volunteering there. We were fortunate to hang out with Mom’s colleagues or partners in the People Place business. These individuals avidly supported Mom, the People Place, and its’ vision. We regularly heard about activities taking place every Thursday night over the dinner hour at Community of Families’ meetings. As young people experiencing this program and Mom’s vision first-hand – this was life-changing. Indeed, some aspect of this vision has remained in our lives, and is stamped into our own work.
• My Mom’s fourth Super-Hero quality is ORGANIZATIONAL AND PROGRAM DEVELOPER EXTROIDINAIRE!
The People Place had its initial beginnings in the basement of our home. Arriving home from school, I could hear the first program assistant (also named Nancy) typing in our basement, while mom was leading a Parent Effectiveness Training workshop, or off at a meeting in the community. A lot of work was accomplished in the basement. However, this arrangement did not last long, because the People Place occupied several different Ames landmarks besides our basement – another church, the Whittier School basement, and now the United Church of Christ (while affiliated with Lutheran Social Services of Iowa).
Mom marshaled each family member’s skills to support People Place programming. Early on we each had opportunities to create brochures and quarterly programming calendars. In evaluating the brochure design we tried to incorporate images that complemented the People Place logo and philosophy. This logo and philosophy remains to this day – depicting diverse people of all ages, sizes and races standing side-by-side.
Later on, we sat alongside our mother, in Ames City Council meetings when there were political discussions of mergers and slashed and/or increased city support for social services. We helped out in People Place Child Care and assisted with multiple grant writing efforts. (Communication/writing is one of Mom’s strengths, which she readily passed on to each of us.) Mom also told us about the WuWu’s. This is an amazing group of people and organizations that came together regularly to talk about collaborative efforts to meet the needs of all Ames, Iowa citizens. (Really, Mom, explain the WuWu’s.)*
Every family member has called, organized, coordinated and/or contributed in some small or large way to the annual Call-A-Thon, which takes place every April, and wherever there is a large bank of phones and oodles of volunteers. Sometimes the “calling” space is donated by a local bank, or the Iowa DOT. (As the use of cell phones has increased, finding the appropriate bank of phones has become less necessary.) My daughter Catherine, who just turned 10, has watched her cousins Mallory and Mitchell assume different responsibilities at the Call-A-Thon. Indeed, Catherine anxiously awaits her turn/assignment to volunteer at the annual Call-A-Thon in April, 2011!
Under Mom’s watchful eye, the People Place became a wonderful place for learners of all ages. Many an ISU student – undergraduate or graduate – learned organizational development and management, while their unique strengths and abilities were utilized in the Child Care Room, organizing the files, coordinating activities, writing stories, etc. We all heard about each student’s strengths. Mom was impressed by the skills of the many students who passed through the People Place every semester, and always delicately guided their future in Social Services.
*There are a lot of programs not mentioned here, and the MELD program is one important example. (Again, Mom, please explain.)
• My Mom’s fifth Super-Hero quality is FULL HEART CONDUCTOR!
We watched our Mom work with passion, love and life every day. She poured her heart into the Community of Families; she worked night and day fundraising for the People Place, getting everything in place for the Call-a-Thon; she crafted the exact words that would ignite interest from a potential grantor; she did that one special thing that would move an individual or family further along in the program; she encouraged our full participation; and most importantly she encouraged that same quality of effort and passion in all that we do. She did all this while raising her own family, successfully navigating the teenage years, maintaining relationships with colleagues, and all in a time when working women had not yet been granted their full due. We know that whatever the task, idea or assignment, our Mom gives her Full Heart – to the People Place, to her family and to her community.
My Mom’s qualities live and breathe in the People Place, and through each of us. Please join me in raising both arms in the air and shouting out loud for all to hear!
HERE’S TO MY MOM…LYNN ENGEN…MY SUPER-HERO!
EMPATHETIC WORLDVIEWER…
CREATIVITY SPARKLER…
ULTIMATE VISIONARY…
ORGANIZATIONAL AND PROGRAM DEVELOPER EXTROIDINAIRE…
AND FULL HEART CONDUCTOR…
GIRL!
With full-hearted LOVE from your daughter,
Nancy
Submitted on Monday, February 28, 2011.
