Awake Team Gathers for Annual Meeting to Reflect and Plan

Last Saturday, thirty members of the Awake community from across the United States assembled for a hybrid, day-long meeting that allowed us to socialize, reflect on previous work, brainstorm future projects, and pray together.

The gathering included Awake staff as well as members of the Survivor Advisory Panel, Board of Directors, Leadership Team, and a group of committed volunteers. An in-person group met at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Milwaukee and was joined remotely by people from nine states.

Thanks to Zoom, people joined the meeting from nine different states.

Executive Director Sara Larson opened the day with a prayer that invited the Holy Spirit to guide the gathering. As is often the case at Awake planning meetings, the day’s schedule included a period for individual prayer and reflection, with participants thinking deeply about ways to ensure that our programming and actions adhere closely to Awake’s mission and values.

We reviewed Awake’s mission and values and used them to guide decision-making.

The day also included multiple small-group discussions, which gave every person an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas. Representatives from each group then reported these ideas and themes back to the larger group. Because we do much of our work remotely and in small groups, it was a joy to gather more of the Awake community together, with some of us even in person.

Because most of our work is done remotely, we enjoyed the chance to be together at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Milwaukee. In-person attendees included Patti Ingrilli, Sara Knutson, Mary Gentile, Erin O’Donnell, and Jim Sponholz.

Mike Larson, Patty Ingrilli, and Laura Hancock share ideas (and laughs) during a small group discussion.

Laura Hancock, Mary Gentile, Doris Brosnan, and Jim Sponholz weigh ideas in their small group.

After a break for lunch and conversation, one of the afternoon activities included brainstorming dream projects for the future, which was both hopeful and energizing. We hope to have started putting some of these ideas in motion the next time we gather. Larson closed the day with prayer after the group set a goal of meeting again to address big picture questions in early 2025.

Executive Director Sara Larson closed the day-long gathering with prayer.