Commun ty Matters Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor
January 2019
The Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor team is surrounded by their regional support team and members of PMMA’s senior leadership and board of trustees after receiving the Emerald Award for the second time in three years at an event Dec. 6.
Presbyterian Manor honored for achievements Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor was recognized with an Emerald Award Level One from Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica for reaching goals in fiscal year 2018, July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018. The recognition came through PMMA’s Emerald Awards Program, designed to encourage its 17 locations and two hospices to achieve high levels of resident and employee satisfaction, meet financial goals, build philanthropic support for the organization’s mission and meet marketing goals. EMERALD, continued on page 3
Chris Armstrong gives blood during one of Presbyterian Manor’s blood drives.
Paying it forward one pint at a time Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor’s first blood drive started as an act of compassion for another staff member. “We had a staff member who had an accident and required several blood transfusions during their time of hospitalization. That’s what gave me the idea of having the drive here—a pay it forward type of thing,” said Chris Armstrong, MDS coordinator and RN case manager. That was four years ago. Today, the campus hosts two blood drives a year—one in March and another in September—and they’re both coordinated by Chris, who works with the Red Cross to get everything set up for the day. The idea of helping others continues to motivate her in this role. “Years ago, I worked as an industrial occupational health nurse in Cowley County, that’s how I got familiar with blood drives. It’s so satisfying to know you can get people to donate to this cause and save lives. It’s a nurse thing—wanting to help others and save lives is always a good thing,” said Chris. PINT, continued on page 2
Art is Ageless® Left: Wilda Buffo, Marjorie Swaim, denter, and Virgina McConnell, right, were on-site signing calendars and writing personalized messages to their biggest fans. We thank them for their submissions and look forward to what they submit in 2019.
Right: The 2019 Art is Ageless® Calendar signing was almost perfect. We had one small hiccup—more people than expected came to get a signed calendar.
Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Sarah Griggs, executive director Sean Page, marketing director Lori Peters, activities director
To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact spage@pmma.org. Telephone: 620-442-8700 Fax: 620-442-8224 Address: 1711 N. Fourth, Arkansas City, KS 67005-1607
Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
ArkansasCityPresbyterianManor.org
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PINT, continued from page 1
To help reward others for doing good, incentives are offered to those who donate. “We have reward cards called ‘star bucks’ you can save up and get prizes like Wal-Mart gift cards or a day off with pay. I get a special blood drive star buck that I can give to people who donate. And sometimes we have door prizes,” said Chris. For the most part, getting employees and people from the community to donate blood hasn’t been an issue. “We have a core group of people who always donate so I can pretty
Community Matters January 2019
much always count on them. The Red Cross always sets a goal depending on how many appointments you have available. Most of the time we meet and exceed our goal. We typically have 15 appointments available a day, which doesn’t seem like much, but if we can get all 15 units of blood, that’s a lot!” said Chris. The next blood drive at the Presbyterian Manor will be March 26. Interested in donating? Take Chris’s advice: “It’s always good to contact me three or four weeks in advance to get an appointment scheduled so we don’t run out.” Like us on Facebook
What a difference one week makes! Our campus went from fall to winter in a few short days.
EMERALD, continued from page 1
There are 11 areas measured for the Emerald Awards. To receive an emerald, a community has to meet its goals in all 11 areas. This is the second time in three years Arkansas City achieved an Emerald Award. Team members from the community attended PMMA’s annual Emerald Award Like us on Facebook
Banquet Dec. 6 at the Broadview Hotel in Wichita to accept the award. “We are pleased to present Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor with their second Emerald Award. This recognition is a visible sign of the Arkansas City team’s commitment to the mission of PMMA of
providing quality senior services guided by Christian values,” said Bruce Shogren, chief executive officer for PMMA. Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica has been providing quality senior services guided by Christian values in Kansas and Missouri for nearly 70 years. Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor
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Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor 1711 N. Fourth Arkansas City, KS 67005-1607 Return Service Requested
The Bill Bowles challenge
Let yourself be surprised from time to time This little story may remind you of someone you have met on your life journey. There is a twist to it, though.
“Hard-Head Smith” and his hard head aimed right at it and boy did it fly right back in the air and into the goal.
When moving from grade school to junior high school, we often meet a new group of friends. So, I want to warn you about a fellow named “Hard-Head Smith.” For a while, most of us were not worried about “Hard-Head Smith,” until one day on the playground when I was learning to play soccer.
Our team was right there and when it flew, we were all amazed and you could see how stunned the other team was. We all saw the spectacular flight of a soccer ball hitting a target right where “Hard-Head Smith” aimed it. That was the greatest, most surprising moment in soccer I have ever experienced.
One of our new friends was a champion on the field, when the big ball came in the air right to him. Now, before it hit the ground, ol’
Some of our early meetings of persons may very quickly turn into new friendships. Isn’t it interesting? With patience and understanding,
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Community Matters January 2019
even some new people we meet on our life journey will inspire us to think: “Well, praise the Lord!” Over time, we may expand our views of this big world and how we, too, may find ways for ourselves and others to raise our challenge higher than we ever thought of before. —Resident Bill Bowles Like us on Facebook