Community Matters The Glen at Aberdeen Heights
July 2015
New giving option now available Your old vehicle could help “drive” the Good Samaritan Program at a Presbyterian Manor senior living community of your choice. You can donate your car, truck, boat or other unneeded vehicle through PMMA’s new vehicle donation program. When you call the toll-free number, we’ll arrange to pick up the vehicle, even if it’s not running.You will need to provide your vehicle’s title with the vehicle. Its sale price is then tax deductible.You can consult IRS Publication 526 to help you figure its current value. To make your vehicle donation or for more information, call toll free, seven days a week, at 844-490-GIVE (4483), or go to AberdeenSeniorLivingCarDonations.com and choose “Donate Now” to access the online form. Vehicles need to be intact and in towable condition. Exceptions to the program are vehicles whose value would not offset the cost of towing. The PMMA Good Samaritan Program provides financial assistance to residents at any of the 18 communities, who exhaust their CARS, continued on page 2
Neighbors of the Month
Introducing Don and Virginia Otto Don and Virginia met in high school in 1952. Virginia sat beside Otto her first day of class. They began dating, fell in love and were married in 1958. Virginia continued to work so she could help Don with his college education. He attended Westminster and was awarded the Woodrow Wilson Scholarship but decided to stay in St. Louis because Virginia had a good job at Laclede Gas Co. After graduating from college, Don served in the Army for two years, then worked for Monsanto for 30 years, and he also taught at Lindenwood University for 12 years. Don loved to play baseball and did so for every company he worked for. Virginia attended and cheered him on at every game, never missing one. They have two sons and four grandchildren. Don and Virginia have traveled and lived all over the world. One time they went to Asia on a NEIGHBORS, continued on page 2
A proud member of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America
CARS, continued from page 1
NEIGHBORS, continued from page 1
funds through no fault of their own. Thank you for considering a gift to help our residents who have a financial need.
business trip but had to circle the globe to get there as it was Chinese New Year. Some of the other places they have been include Korea and Malaysia. They both agree that their
favorite place to which they have traveled was Northern Italy. When asked “Why Northern Italy?” Don said, “Beautiful people, food and scenery.”
Red, White, Blue
& You!
Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Aberdeen Heights by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at: PresbyterianManors.org. James “Jamie” Kneen, executive director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Loretta Cutler, health care lifestyle coordinator, lcutler@pmma.org. Telephone: 314-909-6010 Address: 505 Couch Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
2
Community Matters July 2015
Join us on Saturday, July 4, as we have our Patriotic Parade in the Glen at 10:30 a.m. Residents and staff will be adorned with red, white and blue. Aberdeen Heights singers will lead the parade with a sing-along outside in the front circle followed by an ice cream social.
The unexpected benefits of volunteering in nature By Akiko Busch
There’s something innately restorative to the human spirit about watching the flow of water in a stream, and this is especially true in spring. The frozen landscapes and frigid temperatures of the winter months can cast a stillness across one’s interior terrain as well, so to watch the current of a river in May is surely to come alive again. That sense of renewal is even greater, though, when it extends from one’s own spirit to the larger environment. Which is just what happens when I go to watch for the herring in the annual spring monitoring program. Herring spend most of their life at sea, returning to the freshwater rivers and streams they were born in once a year to spawn. In recent times, however, their numbers have declined dramatically, possibly because of overfishing, diminished water quality and/or habitat loss. Or maybe something else entirely. Fishermen, researchers and environmentalists would all like to understand what’s causing this. To this end, volunteers help scientists monitor the herring’s arrival into the tributaries of the Hudson River and collect baseline data about these changing migration patterns. And while we citizen scientists know we’re helping out, what we get in return is worth far more than the time we give. The Call of the Wild This is not difficult work. It requires only that one stand at a bridge or the edge of a waterway for 15 minutes twice a week in April and May, look for signs of the
herring, then write down what is seen — whether herring are there or not. This is about absence or presence. And if those minutes spent watching the drift and surge of a stream are a regenerative way of witnessing spring, the experience grows in meaning when what you find contributes to some broader knowledge base about the stream and the species that live in it. The herring project is only one of many hundreds of such endeavors nationwide, on land and in water, that are part of the emerging practice of citizen science. Typically defined as projects in which ordinary people — kids, college students, retirees and anyone with an interest in observing natural phenomena — partner with scientists to answer real-world questions, such efforts can involve reporting dates on ice melt in early spring, identifying the habitats
of amphibians in vernal pools or tracking the migration of monarch butterflies. Some participants get involved simply as an excuse to get outdoors. Others may be motivated by an interest in conservation. Or they could be driven by a greater sense of urgency. A sense of impending crisis in the natural world — whether habitat loss, a warming climate or a burgeoning human population of 7 billion plus — is what prompts many of us to sign up for citizen research projects. For their part, scientists have recognized the value of volunteer labor at a time when their own financial resources are stretched more than ever. And new technologies, like GPS, interactive websites, digital photography and mobile phone apps, have made the collection of data even by amateurs reliable and efficient. VOLUNTEER, continued on page 4 The Glen at Aberdeen Heights
3
VOLUNTEER, continued from page 3
This kind of participatory research is flourishing. And at a time when our sense of place is often frayed, documenting the arrival of spring birds, gathering information about fireflies on a July night or simply measuring rainfall are all good ways in which to collect important data about the natural world and to gain a deep connection to our habitats. It occurs to me that such projects can have particular meaning for midlife volunteers. It is common knowledge that a desire to volunteer is part of the American character today and that a good portion of this nascent labor force are people over 62. Statistics tell us that 7 in 10 people over 62 freely donate their time, and many say this work is among the most sustaining endeavors of their adult life. We are, I like to think, at a stage in life when we know how to pay attention. And attending closely to the world outside of ourselves is what is demanded here. Like data sheets for other such research efforts, those for the herring projects require precise details. They ask that I break down the components of the day, and when I do, I find that there is a meditative quality in recording the temperature
of the air and of the water, the quality of cloud cover, precipitation, tide and water clarity.
otherwise miss and demands a focus that came to me less easily when I was in my 20s and 30s.
Having to document such details is a step toward becoming a better observer. The task requires a scrutiny of small increments I might
Copyright© 2014 Next Avenue, a division of Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.
Coming up in Community Matters In an upcoming Community Matters, we’ll be focusing on senior safety, fall prevention and Grandparents’ Day. How do you keep your balance? What have you found to be most helpful in aging strong and avoiding injuries as you age? What’s your favorite thing about being a grandparent or great-grandparent? What wisdom do you want to pass along to the next generation? If you’d like to share your thoughts or memories, contact Health Care Lifestyle Coordinator Loretta Cutler and your story may be selected for inclusion in an upcoming Community Matters newsletter.
4
Community Matters July 2015
Receive our newsletter by email. Message smay2@pmma.org and ask to have the newsletter delivered to your inbox. It’s that easy!