Fort Scott Presbyterian Village
DECEMBER 2019
Makenise Griffin joins in the mission of Presbyterian Village Makenise Griffin is a 2019 graduate of Fort Scott High School. She began working for Presbyterian Village in March 2019 while attending college and plans to continue her education and become a nurse.
Let us help you find the perfect gift for your Presbyterian Village family If you’re struggling to find just the right gift for your aging loved one this Christmas, consider letting our elves deliver a solution that can last throughout the year. A gift certificate from Fort Scott Presbyterian Village can be used for a variety of services and tailored to meet your aging loved one’s needs. From a personal shopper to a relaxing hair set, we can make sure your loved one gets exactly what they want, when they need it. A gift certificate is a great choice to make your gift flexible and timely. It can be used for some help in the kitchen, delivered homemade meals, hair styling and even cleaning service.
“I heard it was a great place to work and serve others!” Makenise said about coming to work at Presbyterian Village. She really appreciates the great care that everyone gives the seniors who live here. “The food is great, and I really enjoy everyone I work with.” When not at work, Makenise enjoys spending time with her fur baby, Molly, and working on her first home, which she recently purchased. Last year Makenise went on a mission trip to Haiti, where she taught vacation Bible school classes and helped teach English to all ages. She enjoyed playing with the kids in Makenise Griffin the orphanage, as well as praying with new moms and other community members. Her favorite bible verse is James 1:27 – “Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Design your own package – from a one-time gift to a bigger gift that can extend throughout the entire year in your loved one’s home. For more information, contact Executive Director Ginger Nance at 620223-5550 or email gnance@pmma.org. u
If you would like to join Makenise at Presbyterian Village you can apply at: www.fortscottpresbyterianvillage.org. u
Fort Scott Presbyterian Village | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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Care package help appreciated The Presbyterian Village and Fort Scott Community College partnered to send packages to our brave troops serving away from home and their families during the holiday season. Your dona-tions have helped ensure that our brave soldiers around the world will feel appreciated this Christmas. Thank you! u
60 boxes ready for shipping.
Volunteers pack boxes.
Enjoy creativity – and cast your vote for best Christmas Tree Every nook and cranny of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village is lit up for the holidays, as decorated Christmas trees have been entered in our annual Presbyterian Village Christmas Tree Decorating Contest. Now it’s time for you to vote on your favorite trees! Come to Presbyterian Village between December 2 and 12 to stroll through all the joyful entries and cast your ballot for the People’s Favorite. Christmas trees can be found on all three levels of our building and decorations range from traditional to imaginatively creative, and everything in between.
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The top three winners will receive cash prices—and bragging rights for an entire year. Be sure to join us for this fun and spirited event. u Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.
FORT SCOTT Presbyterian Village
A PMMA COMMUNITY
620-223-5550 u Fax: 620-223-7800 2401 S. Horton Fort Scott, KS 66701 FortScottPresbyterianVillage.org
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | December 2019
Community Matters 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) organizaton.
To submit or suggest articles: rkellum@pmma.org Ginger Nance, executive director Becky Kellum, marketing director
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
Musical group ready to “chime” in for Christmas requires most chimers to be responsible for at least two notes for any song. Silver chimes are the natural notes, while the black chimes indicate the sharps and flats. “We read regular music,” Phyllis explained. “We started with songs like Row, Row, Row Your Boat, and Mary Had a Little Lamb. Now we’re playing out of a hymnal.” Kris Najarian, a violin student in Paris, plays with the Chimers whenever he visits his grandmother, Phyllis Bradley. Phyllis organized the Village Chimers.
It all began as a rumor about a pristine set of choir chimes stashed away in some unchecked closet at Fort Scott Presbyterian Village. It turned into a search that uncovered a plain-looking suitcase, which turned out to house a full set of chimes. And that turned into several months of learning and practice that will result in the inaugural performance of the Village Chimers at the community Christmas Dinner on December 5. “There was one book–a how-to book– that had some time values and basic information,” said Village Chimer Phyllis Bradley. “We started with that. Pretty soon we had three to four people, but we needed at least seven to do this, so I asked a few around the community if they’d want to do this.”
For the December 5 pre-dinner performance, the group plans to play Christmas standards like Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Come All Ye Faithful, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, and, of course, Jingle Bells. Finding enough people might have limited the group, but members of the community – Cynthia Cooley, Joyce Gobl, and Linda Jackson – stepped in to fill in the gaps. And others, who don’t play chimes, have lent their musical talents to augment the group. “One resident sings with us and plays piano,” Phyllis said. “And a local church plays with us. We maybe had 40 people just singing hymns for 30-45 minutes. They might not be able to see the music that well, but they were singing. It is thrilling to know that this can be a part of their day.” Even Phyllis’ grandson, Kris Najarian, who is a violinist currently studying in Paris, takes time to play with the group when he comes home for a visit.
The group spent at least an hour each week learning to master the chimes, which require some musical knowledge to operate.
“I tell you, I really love music,” Phyllis said. “It’s so important for seniors – nothing lifts the spirits quite like music.”
Phylis explained that the chimes work much like a piano keyboard–beginning with a “G” up to middle “C” with two additional octaves above that. The set up
If you’d be interested in joining the Village Chimers please call 620-3345550. u
Come spread your holiday cheer with Presbyterian Village December is a great time to share your talents with the residents of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village. Many groups visit our campus during the Christmas season, and we’d love to bring your musical group to the Village for a performance. Our community loves hearing the sounds of Christmas music, and performances are always special and appreciated. Plus, it seems to put everyone in the right mood to cheerfully join in some Christmas cheer. To learn more about how you can perform at the Village, contact Judy or Ginger at 620223-5550. u
Fort Scott Presbyterian Village | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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FORT SCOTT Presbyterian Village A PMMA COMMUNITY
2401 S. Horton Fort Scott, KS 66701 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
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Sel flessLove c e l e b r a t i n g
Every gift to Presbyterian Village makes a difference. As we enter this holiday season, we recognize the gifts of our many donors across the PMMA system. Below are the names of donors who have given $50 or more to Fort Scott Presbyterian Village between July 1 and September 30, 2019. Timken Foundation Ms. Janet Braun Mrs. Phyllis Bradley Rev. Robert Elliott Fort Scott Rotary Club Mr. and Mrs. Robert Nelson Dr. James Schauble You, too, can leave a mark on Fort Scott Presbyterian Village with your gift during this holiday season. Stop by the front desk or make a gift online, www.giving.presbyterianmanor.org. u
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | December 2019
This holiday season, be an angel to a senior in need. Make a donation to our Good Samaritan Program, which assists PMMA residents who have outlived their financial resources through no fault of their own.
To earn your wings, stop by our front desk or visit giving.presbyterianmanors.org. A bell will be added to our Christmas tree in your honor.