What's Happening

June 28, 2019, St. Petersburg, Florida – Adrian Dominican Sisters received three awards from the Catholic Press Association (CPA) in recognition of the Congregation’s efforts to share its story and Mission with the public. The awards were announced June 21, 2019, during the awards banquet of the CPA’s 2019 Catholic Media Conference June 18-21 in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Congregation received the following awards:

• Second Place: Best Annual Report for Catholic Nonprofit Organizations for Hearts of Hope, the 2017-2018 Annual Report. “Clear concise language illustrated the accomplishments, goals, services, resources in a succinct way,” the judges noted. “Graphics are concise and aid in comprehension. Overall report gives the reader a sense of the organization’s character as well.”
  
  
• Honorable Mention: Best Presentation of Online Videos for Ripples of Faith: A Sister’s Story, an Office of Development Christmas campaign video featuring the life and ministries of Sister Mary Margaret (Sis) Beh, OP. The video faced stiff competition; the top three awards went to America Magazine, the Diocese of Savannah, and Catholic News Service.
  
  
• Honorable Mention: Best E-newsletter for Veritas, a monthly newsletter that gives a comprehensive view of recent events and upcoming programs of the Congregation. 

The awards were the result of the collaborative efforts of the Offices Communications and Development. 

Co-workers in Communications are Angie Kessler, Director; Sheila Wathen, Assistant Director; Sister Barbara Kelley, OP, Writer; Ashley LaVigne, Social Media Specialist; Scott Miller, Videographer; and Ashley Saxton, Graphic Designer. Jessica Havens was the Graphic Designer in 2018, the period covered by the 2019 CPA awards. 

Co-workers in Development are Amy Palmer, Director; Diane Bach, Development Office Coordinator; Sister Kathleen Schanz, OP, Donor Relations; and Laura Brosamer and Jolene Witt, Office Assistants. 

June 26, 2018, Green Bay, Wisconsin – The Adrian Dominican Congregation received four awards from the Catholic Press Association for videos, website content, the 2016-2017 Annual Report, and its Christmas 2017 social media campaign.

The awards were announced at a Catholic Press Awards Banquet June 15, 2018, at the end of the Catholic Media Conference, “Touchdown in TitleTown,” held June 12-15 in the KI Conference Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The awards earned were the result of collaboration over the past year among the offices of Communications, Development, Technology, and Vocations.

The Adrian Dominican Sisters received the following awards:

• "Preach with Your Life," a series of videos produced as vocations outreach, won second place for Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video: Depiction of Religious Life. First place went to the Catholic News Service. Recognized for this project were Sisters Lorraine Réaume, OP, and Sara Fairbanks, OP, of Formation and Vocations; Scott Miller, of Technology; and Ashley LaVigne, Angela Kessler, and Sheila Wathen, of Communications.
  
  
• “Hope,” a prolonged social media Christmas fundraising appeal, which ran from November 28, 2017, through December 29, 2017, took second place for Best Social Media Campaign. The HOPE Campaign consisted of a series of five videos, which were posted on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube and sent to donors in a series of emails. “This campaign uses compelling videos with a consistent brand experience,” the judges commented. “It is no surprise that last year’s fundraising achievements were exceeded!” Co-workers involved in this appeal included Scott Miller, Technology; Amy Palmer, Development; and Ashley LaVigne, Angela Kessler, Sheila Wathen, and Jessica Havens, Communications.
  
  
• “Counting our Blessings,” the 2016-2017 Annual Report for the Adrian Dominican Congregation, received honorable mention in the category of Best Annual Report for a Catholic Nonprofit Organization. Among those involved in producing the Annual Report were Amy Palmer, Development, and Angela Kessler, Sister Barbara Kelley, OP, and Jessica Havens, Communications.
  
  
• A selection of five “What’s Happening” news articles, written by Sister Barbara Kelley, OP, and published on the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ website from September to November 2017 received honorable mention for Best Online Content Not Published in Print: Written Content. The articles entered were  “Sister Barbara Cervenka, OP, Paints 1,000 Cranes for Iraq”; “Aftermath of Shooting Brings Trauma and Support to Hospital Community”; “Former Adrian Dominican Sisters Continue to Influence the World”; “Literacy Center Volunteer Helps Distribute More than 12,000 Books to Flint Children”; and “Adrian Dominicans Inspired by Beatification of Solanus Casey.”