St. Anthony Garden is a Gift to the Community
St. Anthony Garden is a Gift to the Community When Jerry and Trish Hartlaub were married at St. Anthony of Padua Church in 1965, they had no idea their union would continue to bless the community of faith where they took their vows. The generosity of the Hartlaub’s is transforming the field of grass where they posed for wedding photos into a beautiful sanctuary within the Catholic Eldercare community where residents, families, and neighbors can retreat. The Hartlaub’s gifts to the St. Anthony Garden at Catholic Eldercare began with a fountain, designed with Jerry’s help and commitment to ensuring the water would drop a significant distance to amplify the sound so all could hear it. The project benefited from Jerry’s background as a skilled electrical engineer who was instrumental in improving the function of Medtronic’s pacemakers, including 42 US medical device patents. Construction is now underway on a shelter, niche seating areas, and security lighting that will be the finishing touches on St. Anthony Garden, set to be completed in September. For Trish Strauss Hartlaub, the space will be a place that stands in the Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood where she grew up. “I was baptized, confirmed, educated, and married on this property. My mom volunteered at Catholic Eldercare, she was cared for here, and she passed away here. These grounds are special to me.” Faithful, humble, and unpretentious, Jerry and Trish Hartlaub are quick to step back and highlight all the other people who donate money, time, and talent to Catholic Eldercare. But their commitment to our mission is clear in their generous on-going donations that continue to bless the lives of residents within our senior communities. We’ll take you deeper into the Hartlaub’s story in our fall publication. In the meantime, learn more about Catholic Eldercare’s giving Foundation in the recent issue of Connections Magazine. Simply email Robin Haenze at rhaenze@catholiceldercare.org or call her at 612-277-2902 to set up a time to pick-up a hard copy, or access it online here