Baden Earth Day Unites Neighbors

Thank you to all who joined us to celebrate Earth Day!

We are so grateful to everyone who bundled up to share in this special day. Our hope is always to build and deepen relationships with our dear neighbors and together, to become better stewards of our environment and the shared future it allows us to have.

The Ecology, Spirituality and Justice and Peace ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph are thankful to the organizations that share our desire to serve the broader community and helped make our Baden Earth Day celebration a success:

Sisters Donna Cronauer and Margery Kundar help a child prepare seeds to take home.

Loki poses with his friends from the Beaver County Humane Society.

Friends from Baden Academy send a message in support of the environment.

Sisters of St. Joseph Staff (Kathy Wray, Matthew Hansen, and Barbara Hecht) join Sister Dolores Partsch in welcoming guests to Baden Earth Day.

A young girl is excited to find a bicycle, one of many CommuniCycle gave away during Earth Day.

A woman receives a blueberry plant from PA Interfaith Power and Light.

A young girl enjoys her newly-made binoculars.

Andrusa Lawson, who works with the Sisters of St. Joseph, enjoys the day with his family.

Professor Clifford Lau, with Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community and Eyes on Shell, shares important information about environmental advocacy with a guest.

Sister Anne Green helps kids prepare their wooden name tags, one of several fun crafts families stopped to enjoy.

Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services educates people about ways to get involved locally in protecting our environment.

Papa Duke's serves up delicious food to keep Sisters and friends warm during the festivities.

Sister Pat Phillips poses with her brother and baby chicks, raised by our friends at Baden Academy.

Guests explore the many lovely options at a clothing exchange, hosted by House of Prayer Lutheran Church.

Rick Roberts and Matthew Hansen, who care for our grounds, stop to share a smile during Earth Day.

CommuniCycle

For bringing so much joy to the dozens of children who took home a new-to-them bicycle! Connect with CommuniCycle.

Environmental Advocates & Citizen Watchdog Groups

For helping our dear neighbors learn about ways to protect our water, soil and air and stay involved locally around important issues like monitoring the Shell cracker plant! Connect with the organizations to stay active: Beaver County Marcellus Awareness, Eyes on Shell, Food & Water Watch, Clean Air Council, Moms Clean Air Force and Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services.

PA Interfaith Power & Light

For giving away 50 blueberry plants and teaching us how to care for creation through environmental advocacy! Connect with PA Interfaith Power & Light.

Ernst Seeds & PittMoss Soil

For supplying free soil and seeds for children and families to plant and transport to their backyard gardens! Connect with Ernst Seeds and PittMoss.

House of Prayer Lutheran Church

For sharing a beautiful variety of gently-used clothes for adults and children! Connect with House of Prayer Lutheran Church.

eQuipBooks

For delighting families and children with a free book exchange! Connect with eQuipBooks.

Bobby Thompson & Rich Mannion

For creating a rockin’ fun environment with wonderful music! Connect with Bobby and Rich.

Papa Duke's Food Truck

For warm, delicious food to keep us all fueled! Connect with Papa Duke’s.

Bruster's Ice Cream

For savory ice cream and smiles, despite the cold! Connect with Bruster’s.

Beaver County Humane Society

For sharing lovable Loki, who is looking for his forever home, with our Earth Day guests! Connect with the Beaver County Humane Society.

PA Mushroom Club

For teaching all of us about the different types of mushrooms in our area! Connect with the PA Mushroom Club.

Pets with Heart Therapy Dogs

For giving lots of hugs, kisses, and snuggles to everyone who stopped to visit! Connect with Pets with Heart, an outreach of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

PA Master Naturalists

For inviting us into deeper union with nature through observation, curiosity, and journaling! Connect with PA Master Naturalists.

Down to Earth Gifts

For offering us the chance to buy “made-in-Baden” honey and all-natural lip balm, lotion and soap produced, packaged, and sourced locally with help from our Sisters. Connect with Down to Earth Gifts.

Sister Caryn Crook, OSF, host of the Bird Migration Game

For teaching us about the trials and tribulations of bird migration. Connect with Sister Caryn.

Enjoy all the photos from Earth Day in our Facebook album.

Our Ecological Commitment

As Sisters of St. Joseph, we move always toward deepening our call to “be attuned to how all of creation lives and moves and has its being in God.” We believe in a “sacramental universe” of wondrous diversity, a gift of God that requires our care and respect. We believe that God entrusts these resources to us so that we may nurture and sustain them for our dear neighbors now and into the future.

In 2016, Pope Francis published Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home, in which he asked all of us to work together to care for our brothers and sisters and to care for the Earth, the home we share. Read our commitment statement to the principles of Laudato Si and how we’re working to care for our environment through prayer, advocacy, and everyday actions.

Join Us in Living More Sustainably to Protect Our Common Home

Find inspiration, ideas, action steps, and educational resources compiled by our Sustainability Committee to learn how to preserve our land, air, and life in all its (human and non-human) diversity. View Sustainability resources.

Explore eco-friendly options, connect with Earth Day participants & more!

Grow with Us!

Several raised beds are available in the Sisters’ Community Gardens for the 2023 growing season!

There is no cost to apply or participate – we only ask that our gardeners donate 10% or 25 pounds of their harvest to local food pantries so that together, we may continue to support our dear neighbors and reduce food insecurity in our region.

If you are interested in tending a garden bed this season, please reach out to Toni Dunlap at tdunlap@stjoseph-baden.org or (724) 869-6525 by May 5th.

No experience as a gardener is necessary – only the desire to learn and grow! Individual training and support is available throughout the season.

Nature Programs

Monthly Hikes to Explore Our Local Trails (Young Adults, Ages 21-40)

Enjoy nature and good company during these moderate intensity, 4-hour hikes along parts of the North Country Trail in Beaver and Lawrence Counties this spring and summer led by Sister Lyn Szymkiewicz and Sister Colleen Crossen. May 20, June 10, July 22, August 19. Free! Learn more or RSVP.

Nature Journaling

Nature Journaling is a way to relax, enjoy nature, and record your experiences. No experience is needed – just a desire to spend time outdoors and a curiosity about the natural world. Saturday, May 27, 10am – noon. All ages are welcome! $10 suggested donation. Learn more or RSVP.

Volunteer Work Days

Make new friends and enjoy time in nature as you help us tend areas of our grounds like the labyrinth, nature trail, and gardens. Stay for lunch! Saturdays, 9:30-2:30pm on May 13, June 17, July 15, August 12, September 9, October 7, and November 11. Learn more or RSVP.