Installment #2 in the Shining A Light Series

I'm proud to feature Matricia Patterson, she's the Telephonic Services Coordinator for 2-1-1 @ IMPACT a free hotline that's operates year-round for 24 hours, 7 days-a-week.

People dial "211" to find emergency food, shelter, financial help, healthcare – as well as places accepting donations that help those of us who are struggling in this weird economy.  Anyway, Matricia and I interface quite a bit through my role as a fundraiser for IMPACT -- the organization that operates 2-1-1.  I know her as one of those put-together, intelligent, positive -- but never overbearing -- women that I'd like to be when I grow up.  Anyway, that's how I know Matricia. 

But if you're one of her thirty or so nieces, nephews (yes, 30 -- she's the youngest of 7 kids) or extended family, you may know her as the person who taught you to drive.  Or she's the person who brings you to work on those "Take Your Daughter to Work" days.  Maybe you know her as the aunt who taught you the family recipes.  Or maybe you were one of the 10 kids she took skating.  Maybe she's the aunt who took you in and was your parent when your own parents were trying to sort their lives out.

Maybe you called IMPACT or 2-1-1 over the past 11 years and were one of the 2,500 people that Matricia helped.  You might have been like the lady who called because this past summer's floods caused mold in her mom’s basement and she didn't know what to do.  She called 2-1-1 and spoke with Matricia.  Matricia connected her with the Milwaukee County Emergency Management Division, and the mom’s basement problems got solved.

If you're involved with the Cathedral Center, you know Matricia as a Board member.  If you've been to County Board proceedings, you may have seen Matricia there too.  You could also know her from Cardinal Stritch, because somewhere in between the long hours that come with a supervisory role, inspiring her extended family and community involvement, she found the time to squeeze in a Master's Degree in Business Management. (That's in addition to the Master's Degree in Social Work that she already has.)  And did I mention that she's the President of the Wisconsin Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS)?

The few words posted here don't begin to scratch the surface of how brightly Matricia shines, but what is it that makes her shine so brightly?  At her job, it’s knowing that she really is making a difference -- like the calls where she's helping people get access to lifesaving prescription meds that may seem out of reach.  Her commitment to her profession drives her to be active in organizations that deepen her understanding of community issues.  But above everything else, Matricia gives her parents all the credit  (See moms and dads, our kids WILL appreciate everything we do one day!).  She says her parents "made me who I am."  They instilled a "strong work ethic" and exposed her to community leaders, spirituality and the positive brown images that are so critical for everyone to see....

About two years ago, GG went through a "sensitive stage."  Certain songs like "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "My Grown-up Christmas List" would leave her in tears every time they came on the radio.  Every time.  Needless to say, it was a really weepy Christmas that year.  When asked why she was crying, she'd answer through her tears "because it's a really sweet song."  Then there was that time in the car when she asked what I was thinking about; and I told her that I was thinking about how much I loved her.  I checked the rear-view mirror only to see tears streaming down her face and heard "that was a really sweet thing to say, mom."  You get the picture.  She was acutely sensitive back then, and to a certain extent, she still is.  I've often wondered which one of us passed that onto her.

Until last week.

Jamie and I donated GG's now-too-small clothes to the *Good Samaritan Outreach Center, a place that distributes clothing for free.  GG's clothes were packed in plastic tubs that I wanted to bring back home, so I unpacked while the volunteers sorted through the items.  There were people who were being helped by other volunteers that day, and some were waiting to be helped.  Among them was a mom with a little girl that was maybe a year younger than GG.  The sight of the two of them really hit me hard, and I started picking through the tub I was unpacking to see what would fit the little girl, what she might need in light of the changing weather, bypassed the sorters and handed some stuff directly to the mom.  When I got done, the mom simply said thank you, and I left.

I called Jamie right after that in a composed state, but when I started telling him about the little girl, I just lost it.  GG and I could've been the ones in need, but we've been blessed, that's all.  Anyway, my husband is a saint.  He waited patiently on the phone with me until my blubbering was over, and said that we'll be going back there with more stuff -- for adults and kids -- from now on.

*We found out about Good Samaritan by calling 2-1-1.  If you’re looking for a place within your ZIP code where you can contribute clothes or other items, just dial 2-1-1 from your home phone or 773-0211 from a cell or pay phone.

The view from down here is dizzying.  Oh, did I mention that the High Horse I was on, Prepared Pepper, threw me off this weekend?

The bucking started when I realized that school was one short week away.  GG still didn't have school clothes, including shoes..or any school supplies, for that matter.**  Not to worry: there was a major sale going on, and to top it off, I had coupons so there was no way I could go wrong.  We got up early to beat the crowds and as soon as we walked in the store, I could hear the heavenly chorus singing -- everything GG needed was right there -- on sale.  We gleefully skipped from rounder to rounder and picked out two or three sets of each outfit that GG'd need (at least until the weather changes), and left with our treasures.  We got home and GG tried everything on.  That's when the bucking got violent.  Everything -- EVERYTHING -- was one size too small.  C'mon!  Hadn't she just grown a full size at the beginning of summer?  Doesn't matter, I reasoned, we've got time to exchange this stuff; it's not like school is starting next....DOH!

I kept calm and kept riding.  This didn't have to stop me from going online and ordering school supplies.  Even better, GG's school online system would let me buy everything without having to step foot in a store.  It only took a couple of clicks and....they weren't accepting any more orders for the schoolyear.  I had waited too late to order supplies from the comfort of my own home.

I reined in the increasingly stubborn Prepared Pepper, and went to the store with the supplies list.  Item #1: a box of 12-count broad-tipped Crayola washable markers.  We immediately found:  Crayola markers (check), Broad-tipped (check), Washable (check), 12-count (NO check).  Oh sure, there were 8-count, 10-count, 16-count, and even Stampers.  What the heck are Stampers anyway? I stood there confused, and puzzled for a good 10 minutes, weighing the pros and cons of 10-count versus 16-count versus Stampers.

The rest of supplies shopping was a blur because by then, Prepared Pepper had catapulted me to where I am now; and I won't be hopping back up on that High Horse anytime soon again.  In fact, I think I'll just stay right here: dizzy, dazed and confused.

**Many parents and caregivers in the community are having a tough time buying school clothes and supplies.  If you want to help them out, just dial "2-1-1" from your home phone or 414-773-0211 from your cell phone to find out where donations for these items are being accepted.**