Community Matters Aberdeen Village
June 2015
Special guests visiting in June On June 15, we will have a fun intergenerational day with a Vacation Bible School group from Village Presbyterian Church. This is always a fun day for kids and residents alike, as they share fun activities, lunch and a few surprises along the way. This special event is always a great day to fit right in with 9- to 12-year-old visitors. On June 18, we will host the Olathe Chamber of Commerce morning coffee. This is a popular event with chamber members, as we typically host more than 200 people for coffee and conversation. Everyone is welcome to join and enjoy the opportunity to meet and greet our guests.
Sign up to receive our newsletter by email. Visit AberdeenVillage.com and enter your email address in the subscription box. It’s that easy! CEO, continued on page 4
Growing up a gardener
Bob Rieke was born with a love for cultivation Aberdeen Village resident Bob Rieke was born to garden. For the first 26 years of his life, Bob worked with his father on 40 acres of farmland to grow a variety of vegetables and sell them to the city market. “My father was a truck gardener … he was a big time farmer,” said Bob. “Every day we’d get an order from the chain stores, like Safeway or Kroger, and then we’d take the produce to the city market. At 3 a.m., the local grocery men had their horse and buggy (or wagon), or their Ford truck that they would load up and take to their neighborhood. There was no refrigeration so whatever was produced one day was fresh the next morning.” Bob and his father grew all kinds of vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, sweet potatoes and onions. While his father was busy growing the crop, his mother was busy canning their harvest. “Down in the basement you could draw back the curtain to the storage and get anything – jars of pickled beets, canned tomatoes … it was always very good.” But as times changed, so did life as Bob knew it. “When refrigeration GARDENER, continued on page 3
A proud member of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America
Sisters forever
While there seems to be quite a few years between the sisters, they still have a special bond. The women, right, are Kappa Alpha Theta sorority sisters from The University of Kansas. Assisted living resident Becky Bright enjoyed time with sorority sisters Frances Reavis, Danya Issawi and Haley Ryan. Haley is the niece of Suzanne Willey, community relations director. This was a special day for the girls to share what was going on in the house and to learn about traditions that have continued on through the years.
May I have this dance?
Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Aberdeen Village by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at: PresbyterianManors.org. Tim Allin, executive director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Suzanne Willey, community relations director, swilley@pmma.org. Telephone: 913-599-6100 Fax: 913-599-3810 Address: 17500 W. 119th St., Olathe, KS 66061-9524 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
Our 7th annual USO-style dance was a hit. With nearly 100 guests in attendance, the dance floor was packed. Independent living residents Elden Beebe and Muffy Olson, right, danced the evening away. The KC Swing Band is always a hit, with songs reminiscent of another era.
Coming Up in Community Matters Everyone has a story to tell... We’ll be talking about education in an upcoming edition of Community Matters. Were you a teacher or a school administrator? Do you have fond memories of what school was like when you were young? Are you amazed at the changes in schools now that your grandchildren and great-grandchildren are attending?
If you’d like to share your thoughts or memories, contact Community Relations Director Suzanne Willey and your story may be selected for inclusion in an upcoming Community Matters newsletter.
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Community Matters June 2015
Summertime, and the living is easy believing that it is stupid. • Life is not like waiting for the storm to pass; rather it is about dancing in the rain. • God has given me these extra years of living. My opportunity is to use them wisely…growing in faith, growing in service. • Plan to reinvent yourself as one who gives back as much as you can.
Remember the words to that song? It invites us to slow down and reflect about our lives in the warm breezes of June at the edge of summer. Relax, sit back and reflect on some positive quotes to live by!
• Old age is like climbing a mountain. On top you are tired and breathless, but your view can be outstanding. • Promise me you’ll always remember: you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
• Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.
• Please be patient. God is not finished with me yet.
• What makes my heart sing? Live your life and forget your age.
• Loved by God—always. Living with purpose—always.
• I’ve seen better days, but I’ve also seen worse. I don’t have everything that I want, but I do have all I need. I woke up with some aches and pains, but I woke up. My life may not be perfect but I am blessed.
I want to close with a quote from Dr. Gary Morsch, founder of Heartto-Heart International and Docs Who Care, serving rural clinics and hospitals in the Midwest. Dr. Morsch is the son-in-law of one of our residents, Roxie and the late Dean Wessels at Aberdeen Village.
• Two things to remember in life: Take care of your thoughts when you are alone, and take care of your words when you are with people. • I don’t have time to worry about who doesn’t like me…I’m too busy loving the people who love me. • When you try to control everything, you enjoy nothing. Relax, breathe, let go, and just live. • Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life
We’re not here accidently to be a collection of a bunch of molecules and atoms. We really have some significance here, which I believe is found in serving other people. That’s the meaning of life and that’s why we’re here.
GARDENER, continued from page 1
and railroads came along, it destroyed our big time gardening.” Bob’s father passed away, but Bob continued to farm for his mother for several years. Eventually, the changing market conditions encouraged a change in Bob’s career. “I became a building contractor. My mother developed the land, and I bought lots from her. I did that for 44 years and built about 500 houses during that time.” But Bob still remembers that special time he shared with his father tilling the land, and used what he learned as a father himself. “Being a father takes a lot of love and a lot of understanding. My father was a typical man, but he encouraged and demanded a lot of hard work. That’s what that life required. I learned a lot from him, and I think that’s why I still like to garden today.” At Aberdeen Village, Bob has a “nice little garden plot” where he grows tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and beets. “That’s my garden and it’s doing very well. The secret? Planting, maintaining and watering. I eat out of my garden and I provide a lot of produce to the ladies up and down the hall. I have a lot of friends. It’s fun, and that’s why I do it.”
Have a great summer…we are all blessed! The Rev. Dr. Larry Thornton, chaplain Aberdeen Village
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Now is a great time to flex your moving muscles! Thanks to a housing market that’s heating up this spring, more and more buyers are looking for homes. It’s prime time to look at your living choices — including a move to Aberdeen Village. Here, you’ll enjoy a maintenance-free lifestyle coupled with a variety of amenities so you can enjoy a more carefree future.
Right now and for a very limited time, you could enjoy significant savings on your entrance deposit, and receive an allowance for moving expenses. This offer expires June 30, so call 913.599.6100 today to learn about all our Spring Savings!
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Community Matters June 2015