Fort Scott Presbyterian Village
Food for thought JANUARY 2023
for the New Year As another new year begins, we asked residents for their advice, insights, and resolutions for the turning of the calendar. Minnie Lou Allen offered a nice list to consider at the top of the fresh new year. 1. Random Acts of Kindness should be done throughout the day.
What are your dreams? Most people have something in their lifetime that they have always dreamed of doing or seeing. Regardless of age, having a desire to fulfill a personal dream is prevalent among all. When we asked our seniors, “Is there one thing you would still like to do in your lifetime?” we received a variety of answers, but many of those dreams we heard sounded absolutely possible for us to help fulfill. This prompted our leadership team at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village to put their creative minds together to figure out a way to fulfill our residents' dreams. This will be accomplished through community partnerships, family member’s participation, and our staff’s dedication to our seniors. Our “A Dream Fulfilled” program will kick off with the New Year, and each month we hope to fulfill at least one dream. Residents Janet Braun and Shirley Hildebrand both have a dream to ride in a new Cadillac. Please contact us if you have a new Cadillac that you have obtained within the last year, or you know someone that would be willing to share their new caddy with us for a short ride for these youngat-heart ladies. We will also reach out to the car dealers in Southeast Kansas if we don’t find one otherwise, in hopes they would be willing to partner with us to fulfill this wonderful dream. u
2. Sitting on the porch swing under grandma's quilt makes the January snowy days warmer. 3. Awaken your inner soul. 4. A New Year for a simpler life. Rest and relax with your favorite book. 5. January is the month to cook organic. 6. Join your family around the table this year rather than eating in the car. 7. For your wellness may you enjoy a winter of grounding outside with your hands or feet. 8. Some folks are hunters, others are gatherers. I have been green for years. 9. During COVID shutdown flowers kept me alive. They needed feeding, they needed watering, rotated in the sun, and I could talk to them for company. 10. Identify the good things in your life and appreciate them often. u
Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at FortScottPresbyterianVillage.org/covid-19.
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Editor’s Note: In a nod to our Presbyterian heritage, we regularly feature a column from a PMMA® chaplain in our newsletter. This month’s column comes from Robert “Bob” Giffin, chaplain at Topeka Presbyterian Manor®.
Strike… Strike one! Ok, that’s just one. Two more chances. Strike two! Golly geezers. Ok, no panic here. One more chance. Strike…
Bob Giffin
As we start 2023, another new year with more new beginnings and more new starts, there will be more opportunities for success. And yes, more opportunities to strike out. In fact, it seems we are better at striking out than succeeding! If that sounds like you, well, you’re in good company! • Babe Ruth is most famous for hitting 714 home runs. But he struck out 1,330 times. • Abraham Lincoln, whose face is famously enshrined on Mount
Rushmore, struck out in all of his eight election bids before finally winning one and becoming the 16th President of the United States.
never was “strike three”: they were never called out for swinging and missing. I wanted them to keep trying because sooner or later I knew they’d get a hit.
• Thomas Edison struck out 10,000 times to invent the light bulb. But he didn’t consider all those strike outs to be failures. “I have not failed 10,000 times,” Edison said, “I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.”
Millions of Americans have already made resolutions for this New Year. Resolutions to eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight, quit smoking, save money…all good and noble goals and yet, 88% fail in keeping their resolution. The strike out rate on resolutions is pretty high, but that does not have to include you! If you fall, get up. If you miss, swing again. Don’t give up on you in 2023!
Babe Ruth, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Edison share common ground: they never gave up. They kept taking swings at their goals. I played a lot of whiffle ball in the back yard with my five kids. I could throw a wicked curve and a swift fastball! But, as my friend Glen used to say: “Here’s the deal.” The deal is that it was never strike three on them! No matter how many times they swung and missed at what could have been strike three, it
Writing to a people and a church that was struggling to be successful, the Apostle Paul said: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9, NIV). u Resources: discoverhappyhabits.com/newyears-resolution-statistics throughtco.com/The Failed Inventions of Thomas Alva Edison Timesmojo.com/did-babe-ruth-strikeout-more-than-anyone history.answers.com
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Community Matters 620-223-5550 u Fax: 620-223-7800 2401 S. Horton Fort Scott, KS 66701 FortScottPresbyterianVillage.org
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | January 2023
is published monthly for residents and friends of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
To submit or suggest articles: gnance@pmma.org Ginger Nance, executive director Taylor Bailey, director of marketing and human resources
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
Resident’s volunteerism is an inspiration If you think assisted living means you have to slow down, then Fort Scott Presbyterian Village resident Betty Johnson will prove you wrong. Betty moved into the Village within the last year. Her husband Dale, who has since passed away, wanted to make sure she was well cared for once he was gone. But you could say, Betty is the one who often takes care of us around the community. For most of her life Betty has been volunteering with different organizations. She’s spent 53 years on many different FCE committees, has Betty Johnson been involved with garden clubs, arts councils, her church and many others where she taught Sunday School classes and participated in Lay Witness Weekends. She’s also made quilts, bibs, and wheelchair bags to be donated to families in need. And now, she’s brought her volunteerism to the Presbyterian Village. She serves on the resident council, volunteers in the kitchen weekly, and regularly brings new ideas to the table. Betty’s volunteerism is an inspiration to us all. She wants to make a difference in the lives of others and enjoys living life on her terms. Living at Presbyterian Village allows her to do just that! Her 2-bedroom, 2-bath deluxe apartment comes with no worries. We take care of all the maintenance and all the work (and worries) that comes with owning a home, so Betty can use her time to do what she loves. Thank you, Betty for inspiring us to get more involved. As her philosophy goes “be an active member or don’t join.” u
BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERISM: Volunteering doesn’t only make a different in the lives of other, it can benefit you as well. Besides bringing joy and satisfaction, volunteerism can also: • Help you gain confidence by giving you the chance to try something new and build a real sense of accomplishment • Help you meet new people and extend your circle of friends • Make you part of a community, something bigger than focusing on yourself • Teach you new skills and allows you to try other new things in the future. Give volunteering a try. You’re never too young or old to try something new and soon, you’ll be wondering why you ever doubted yourself. Make a difference in the lives of others and have fun along the way!
Fort Scott Presbyterian Village | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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2401 S. Horton Fort Scott, KS 66701 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | January 2023