Mary "Be" Mardell, RSCJ honored at St. Madeleine Sophie's Center annual benefit

RSCJ seated from l-r : Sr. Gina Rodee, Sr. Mary "Be" Mardell, Sr. Sally Furay, Sr. Eileen Bearss,
RSCJ standing l - r: Sr. Maureen Chicoine, Sr. Ada Burns, Sr. Mary Ann "Sis" Flynn,
Sr. Elizabeth "Betty" Walsh, Sr. Mary Hotz, Sr. Linda Hayward, Sr. Mary Schumacher,
Back row standing l-r:  Sr. Juliet Mousseau, NSCJ, Sr. Bunny Flick,  and Sr. Irene "Reenie" Cullen

The above photo was taken Friday, August 19th at a reception for Sr. Mary "Be" Mardell, the original founder of St. Madeleine Sophie's Center and fellow RSCJ from California.  St. Madeleine Sophie's Center hosted its 34th Annual Haute with Heart Fashion Show/Luncheon Fundraiser on August 20, 2011. Sr. Mardell (pictured above) founded the Center for children with disabilities in 1965 before it transitioned to serving adults in the early '70's.  She will be honored by giving the invocation at the event.  

About St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center

St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center (SMSC) is a non-denominational program helping nearly 400 people with developmental disabilities, their families and communities, discover, explore, and nurture their full potential. Located in El Cajon, California, 20 miles east of Downtown San Diego, the organization provides service to the greater San Diego communities.

SMSC offers progressive programs and services with a teacher-to-student ratio ranging from 1:3 to 1:8, including Work Activity and Supported Employment; Behavior Modification; Computer Lab; Organic Garden & Worm Farm; Culinary Arts; Aquatics; Aerobics, Fitness,Yoga and Dance; Sophie’s Gallery Art Program (the first program of its kind in the region that has three sites: SMSC’s main campus; Downtown El Cajon; and NTC Point Loma); Music Therapy; Reading; Speech Therapy/Sign Language; and a Senior Program for students age 50+ (the first program of its kind in the region). SMSC also operates its own fleet of 30 para-transit vans and buses to and from SMSC each day, to work sites and on field trips.

For more information on St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, http://www.stmsc.org