Salina Presbyterian Manor
Helping our friends at home DECEMBER 2023
Celebrating time-honored traditions Among the most cherished parts of the holidays are the traditions that families hold sacred across generations. Traditions help keep the stories of our families alive in the minds of future generations and provide a link to the past. We asked a few of our residents and staff to share some of their favorite holiday traditions.
Cecelia Anderson The Swedish families always celebrate Christmas on the eve of the 24th - NOT Christmas day. All my growing up years we went to our grandma’s in Lindsborg. Our Christmas Eve meal included Swedish foods like Lutefisk, Swedish meatballs, pickled herring, and beef roast for meat. After the meal and dishes were done, we always read the Christmas story from Luke 2 in the Bible, followed by singing Christmas carols. Lastly, we opened all our gifts. Christmas Day is spent relaxing, looking over our gifts and being so thankful Jesus came into our lives!
Virgil Windholz Virgil Windholz, maintenance technician here at SPM, has a twist on Christmas Traditions. Originally from Victoria, Kansas, Mom Louise and Father Virgil Sr. moved the family to Ness City in the late 60s. Virgil is third in the pecking order but the oldest of the three boys.
Traditions - continued on page 4
Windholz family
The story of the Good Samaritan coming to the aid of a stranger in Luke 10:29-37 is one of the most loved parables of the gospels. Like many Bible stories, its lesson has become part of our culture. In the early 1950s, Dr. Nelson, the first administrator for what was then known as the United Presbyterian Foundation saw a need for residents outliving their resources. Staying true to our Christian mission, Dr. Nelson dreamed of a way for residents to remain in their safe and caring environment. He made a plea to the community, developing the Good Samaritan Program to help defray costs. Since 1980, members of Salina Presbyterian Manor have been serving the needs of older adults in our community. But we are only able to follow our calling and mission thanks to the help of people like you. This year marked our 43rd Annual Soup Supper, which supports our Good Samaritan Program. We have made a commitment to all Salina Presbyterian Manor residents to ensure they will always have a home, even when their financial resources become depleted over time by circumstances beyond their control. We set a goal of $50,000 this year. We give a big thanks to all who have helped us achieve this commitment to help our friends and neighbors at Salina Presbyterian Manor. u
Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at SalinaPresbyterianManor.org/covid-19.
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OUR TEAM
Traditions – continued from page 1 Usually, he would bring me a gift
Executive Director Melissa Brumbaugh mbrumbaugh@pmma.org
"It's all about mom and dad,” Virgil said. “We made a promise to them and now over the past 30 years the family has been meeting up in late June to do their family Christmas.”
Director of Sales & Marketing Amanda Randolph arandolph@pmma.org Director of Nursing Amanda Dean adean@pmma.org Assisted Living Director Lacey Hasker lhasker@pmma.org Life Enrichment Director Jeni Blair jblair@pmma.org Business Office Director Afton Luetters-Buhrle abuhrle@pmma.org Human Resources Director Dianne Schulz
A typical gathering consists of great food, memories, live music, and a little competition with yard games (nothing like sibling rivalry). Each year, two siblings are put in charge of picking a theme for the gathering, "White Elephant" gifts are exchanged for all men, women, and children. Louise and Virgil Sr. started their family of eight kids, and it continues to grow with numbers coming in at 27 grandkids, 50+ great grand kids and soon to be great-great grandkids. This family of one hundred plus knows the meaning of love and tradition. This picture was taken in June of 2023 at Cedar Bluff Lake where a house has been purchased for all future Windholz gatherings.
Connie Johnson
from my friends Mary and Sue Connell. Mother would tell me that he stopped first at the Connell's home and that they sent their gift with him. I asked my father if I could go with him to take Santa to his sleigh. I wanted to see his reindeer. Daddy would always explain that he was only going to take Santa to another child's home and that the sleigh and reindeer were parked way out in the country. As I grew older, I wondered about the real Santa. It was a custom of our family to go to Sue and Mary's home on East Iron in Salina for dinner on Christmas night. One of those times I went into the bedroom and Santa's red suit was laying on the bed. At last, I knew why Santa never talked. My Santa Claus was Mary Connell. Years later when we would drive down East Iron Avenue, I would point out the Connell home to my children and grandchildren and tell them that was where Santa Claus lived. I am sure they thought I was rather strange!
When I was a little girl, I would wake up on Christmas morning and Santa Claus would be at the foot of my bed But you know I still believe in Santa jingling his bells. He would never talk, Claus. He lives on today in my heart just dance, and jingle his bells. and in my precious memories. u
Director of Dining Services Charles Singleton charles.singleton@curahospitality.com
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Community Matters 785-825-1366 ◆ Fax: 785-825-6554 2601 E. Crawford Salina, KS 67401-3898 SalinaPresbyterianManor.org
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is published quarterly for residents and friends of Salina Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
To submit or suggest articles: jacheson@pmma.org Melissa Brumbaugh, executive director Jill Acheson, senior living sales specialist
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
Chasing the Son By Chaplain Dave Parker “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we Chaplain Dave would rather be away Parker from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away we make it our aim to please Him (2 Corinthians 5:6-9).” We get a consistent theme of transformation from Paul. We see a similar message in his letters to the church in Rome and Philippi and others. While we live in our earthly bodies we are away from the Lord. So, we have not yet realized the fullness of the glory that will someday be revealed to us when we are taken into God’s presence. Now Paul’s preference, as we see in verse 8, is to be away from the body and to be home with the Lord. As he says to the Philippians, to live is Christ and to die is gain. And then to the Romans he says, “For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s (14:8).” But until that day comes, he urges the Corinthian believers here to walk by faith and not by sight. As he said previously in this same letter, chapter 4:18, “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. And we look forward to that unseen hope. So as believers we live based on what God’s Word teaches us to believe instead of the material / the tangible / the things of this world that we can see and touch and hear / taste and smell. We walk by faith,
trusting that God is real and He is telling us the absolute truth in His Word. Not blindly as some who criticize try to convince. But with absolute assurance that what God reveals to us is just as real as anything we can see right in front of us. We watched a movie recently starring Morgan Freeman, The Magic of Belle Isle. Morgan played the role of a disabled and disgruntled writer, encouraged to live again by a little 9-year-old girl. Much like what our Krystal has done for us here, I think. But as he was teaching her what imagination is and how to use it, he had her look down the street and tell him what she couldn’t see. Of course, she was confused at first. But as he explained it to her, her eyes began to open to the possibilities. His point was to help her see what others can’t. To always look for what isn’t seen. And in the end, he found
renewed hope for his own life in that same message. Always look for what you can’t see. Don’t live life with blinders on. And don’t be boxed in by preset notions. Allow yourself room to grow. But with God it’s not about imagination. It’s about trusting in His presence even though we can’t see Him / trusting in His will even though it may not always align with our own. But knowing that He works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called, according to His purposes. And even though we can’t see the eternal realities He promises to each of us who love Him, we still strive to live according to the standards He’s set for us. And we stand firm / in a cultural current flowing so rapidly it’s constantly trying to knock us off our feet and drag us along with it. We need an anchor to ground us in this chaotic world. That anchor is Jesus Christ. u
The new 2024 Art is Ageless® Calendar has arrived! Visit ArtisAgeless.org for information on how to order. There you can also learn more about the program, meet the artists, even send an e-card. u
Salina Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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2601 E. Crawford Salina, KS 67401-3898 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
New group to support those dealing with dementia Salina Presbyterian Manor is excited to announce our newly formed Dementia/Alzheimer’s support group. Pastor Dave, alongside Nurse Jerri are working to set future dates and times and an agenda for the group meetings. Meetings are open to everyone who is coping with the presence of the disease whether it be a family member or friend. Information will be provided through a series of videos, presentations, and time of fellowship to gain knowledge and understanding, as well as sharing and healing. In addition to this new support group, Salina Presbyterian Manor employees, residents and
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families gathered on October 28th in downtown Salina for "Walk To End Alzheimer's". Together, we walked to raise funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. u
Honoring our Veterans Veterans Day was last month, and we’d like to thank our resident heroes for their dedication and service to our country: NAME Bieker, Frank Brown, Richard (Dick} Buehre, Leonard Cheney,Dee Crow, Mark Dreese, William Dunn, Thomas Ferson, Frank Groves, Dean Harris, Loren Hunt, John Knox, William Kohr, Glenn Komarek, John Lloyd, Don
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NAME BRANCH Mermis, Bob Army Air Corp Montgomery, Doyle Wayne Navy Reserve O'Connor Michael National Guard Peterson, Clarence (Pete) Army Reid, Lewis Navy Ruselowski, Pete Air Force Ryan, Steve Air Force Salmon, Ray Army Schroth, Frederick Coast Guard Schuetz, Jerry Army Smischny, Donald Navy· Stewart, Marsha Army Tilton, Richard Army Weathers, Charles Air Force u