The Center's History
The Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality and Healing is sponsored by and is the DBA (doing business as) for the Grain of Wheat Community, Inc. The Grain of Wheat Community (GWC) began is operation as a residential lay spiritual community, based on the Beattitudes of Jesus of Nazareth on April 1, 1984, in Osceola Township of Fond du Lac County by two families--the Michael & Mary Ketterhagen Family and the Richard Voell & Carol Rottier Family.
Besides the establishment of the Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality & Healing on September 5, 2000, some other highpoints of the Grain of Wheat Community's work and mission are:
Brief History:
March 31, 1984:
Michael and Mary Ketterhagen moved to Camp Vista Farmhouse on Vista Drive between Armstrong and Dundee from Greendale, WI, with their four children, Joshua, Luke, Isaiah & Anna.
April 1, 1984:
Designated the birthday of the Grain of Wheat Community
Mission: the establishment of a lay Christian community to offer people of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds opportunities and avenues to personally, communally and spiritually interact and grow with each other.
June 1984:
Rick Voell and Carol Rottier, co-founders of GWC, arrived at Vista Drive with their two children, Matthew and Elisebeth.
October 24, 1984:
Zachary Immanuel was born to Mary and Michael in the farmhouse.
April 29, 1985:
Articles of Incorporation filed with the State of Wisconsin.
June 10, 1985:
By-Laws completed and approved by the board.
October 11, 1985:
Designated as a 501c3 organization by the IRS & the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Spring 1987-93:
The Urban Insight Program in Milwaukee
June 1988-96:
International Youth Peace Camp Program at Camp Vista
Fall 1988:
Rick and Carol and family moved to Fond du Lac for ministry work at St Mary’s Parish
Summer 1995:
Michael and Mary and family moved to Fond du Lac
Fall 1998:
Residential experience of the GWC concluded.
Mission revised: to offer programs and services to people of diverse faiths and backgrounds that support the continuous discovery of our oneness in the Source of Life, and that nurture wholeness of body, mind and spirit.
September 5, 2000:
The Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality and Healing (FCSH) opens
March 2001:
FCSH moved to current location on the 3rd Floor
​
Spring 2005:
Formational of Core Value statement: The Center nurtures peace through establishing a sacred space of transformation that honors the sacredness and wholeness of the individual and the community.
April 1, 2019:
The Center presents its first Spirituality and Healing Award to S. Helen Renzelman, The Center's first receptionist.
​
Middle of 2024:
The Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality and Healing (FCSH) name changed to The Center "Uniting Mind, Body and Spirit"
Our New Mission Statement revised to: To empower our community to live a balanced life through dynamic programming and transformative services.
​
We moved to the bottom floor of 1020 S Mains St, Suite D, Fond Du Lac WI, 54935
The Past 35 years of work and accomplishments:
Residential lay Christian community in the Town of Osceola, Vista Drive, 1984 - 1997
The International Youth Peace Camp Summer camps at Camp Vista from 1988-1996
The Urban Insight program in Milwaukee from 1987-1995
The Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality and Healing from 2000 to present
* Licensed with the State of Wisconsin Educational Approval Board as a Vocational School for Yoga – 2012
* Registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance – 2012
* Trained 79 Yoga Teachers in 12 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training programs from 2000-2019:
--57 through the Himalayan Institute Teachers Association certification program
--22 through the Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality and Healing certification program
* Began pilot program for the Certification of Meditation Teachers in Spring 2019
* Hosted Healing Touch Training for 306 individuals from 2003 to the present in the following levels of a 5-Level Certification Training Program:
--Level 1 – 165 people
--Level 2 – 63 people
--Level 3 – 54 people
--Advanced Training – 24 people
* Offered two Yoga for Mental Health classes beginning in March 2018, using the Y12SR method in collaboration with the National Alliance for Mental Health Friendship Corner (NAMI) and ASTOP Sexual Assault program at St Agnes Hospital.
118 NAMI clients were served
89 ASTOP clients were served
154 others were served
* Received numerous ACTS grants from Sisters of St Agnes because of Helen Renzelman’s service to The Center
* Received three grants from the Kuber Fund of the Fond du Lac Area Foundation
* Received “Yoga’s Way to Reduce the Trauma of Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse” grant from the Women’s Fund.
* Offered Free Yoga for 18 veterans regularly since 2017.
* Offered monthly Healing Touch free clinic sessions to the public since 2003
* Offered many Spiritual Programs, such as: Drumming, Kirtan, Yoga Sutras, Yamas and Niyamas
* Offered presentations by spiritual leaders: Himalayan Institute Spiritual Head Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Buddhist Monk Ajahn David Chutiko, Brugh Joy, Indigenous Healer Jean Reddemann, Musician Barry Goldstein
* Rented Massage Therapy rooms for 21 therapists
* Business Incubator CAM practitioners, including NoKnots Therapeutic Massage, Heaven on Earth Healing Alternatives
* Provided Kangen Water for the public for a donation since 2011
* Rented to practitioners who offered the following Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) Modalities: Medical QiGong (2 practitioners), Aromatherapy (3), Quantum Healing (3), Reiki (12), Healing Touch (6), Black Screen Microscopy (1), Acupuncture (2), Reflexology (2), Nutrition counseling (3), Health coaching (2), Art therapy (1), Psychological counseling (4), Hyponotherapy (1), Doula/Pregnancy support (2)
* Yoga and health presentations outreach to local businesses, agencies and schools:
Businesses: Muthig Industries, Wells Engineering, St Agnes Hospital, Holy Family Catholic Community, Lakeland Hospice, Michels Corporation
Agencies: Fond du Lac County Wellness program at the City/County Building, Harbor Haven County Health Services, Pathways for a Better Living, LLC, in Kiel, ASTOP, National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), Solutions Center, SSM Health- Agnesian Healthcare Domestic Violence Services, Sisters of St Agnes-Nazareth Court & Center, Dodge County Corrections, Mercury Marine Health Fair, St Agnes & Waupun Hospitals Health Fairs
Schools: Marian University, Moraine Park Technical College, Sabish Middle School, Theisen Middle School, St Mary Springs Academy, University of Wisconsin-FdL
* Offered many CAM programs to the public, such as: Nia Dance, Non-violent Communication,
Dancing for Birth, Ayurvedic Cooking classes, Emotional Freedom Technique, Seva Acupressure Stress Release Therapy, T’ai Chi, QiGong, Feldenkrais, Restorative Yoga, Meditation, Viniyoga, Hatha Yoga, Massage, Reiki, Quantum Healing, Introduction to Ayurveda, Acupuncture.
* Offered other spirituality and healing programs, such as: Pain Management without Surgery, When the World’s Religions Come Together, Near-Death Experience of the After Life, Body Art as a Method of Spiritual and Emotional Healing, The Chakras and Singing Bowls, Digeridoo, The Householders Concert and Dance.
Developed partnership with the Farm2Table Co-op & Café which plans to open an organic, natural, locally- grown grocery store in central Fond du Lac, near The Center.