The Alma Center: Men We Love 2012

When Jan Wilberg introduced me to Terri Strodthoff, Founder & Executive Director of the Alma Center, I knew this non-profit group was exceptional.

It wasn’t the details about their domestic violence rehabilitation programs, or the data about recidivism (yeah, I had to look that one up)—it was when Terri shared that her grandmother’s name was “Alma” and that the word means “soul” in Spanish. She had me at “Soul Center.”

Terri and her not-enough-amazing-adjectives-in-the-world staff deal in healing the trauma of violence—pain instilled in boys; who become angry men; projecting it onto defenseless women; in front of frightened children. The generational loop spirals and never closes.

The Alma Center’s work isn’t always pretty and it definitely isn’t easy. It’s through a lot of heart and perseverance that each of the men in the residential treatment program at the Alma House learns to access that deep, forgotten space within that holds their best self and find their soul center. They become men who love, as well as men who are loved.

I couldn’t be prouder to be the “Art Department” in this It-Takes-A-Village organization by helping produce the Men We Love book for their 2012 fundraiser at Miller Park on June 15, sponsored by the Brewers Community Foundation.

A friend described the atmosphere in the park as “magical” and I would have to say it was the best night of my professional career—not because I got to design a beautiful book, but because so many people were so happy honoring the men THEY love through the dedication of Terri, Laura Watt, Jessica Roth Lasser, Wendy Burke Slocum and, most especially, Miranda Zynda Kneeland and Adam Kneeland from Reminisce Studio by Miranda & Adam.

And it all benefitted the life-saving work of the Alma Center. Somewhere, Terri’s grandma is smiling.

Tyra Baumler
Owner, Tessera Design

p.s. If you’d like to support the Alma Center, please make a donation to their Indiegogo We Need A Van! campaign to raise funds for a minivan. ANY amount will help fill a desperate need and be MUCH appreciated.